Premier League Set To Witness First Referee With Bodycam

Premier League referee Jarred Gillett is set to make history by wearing a camera, known as the “RefCam”.
Although the footage won’t be aired live, it will provide valuable insights into officiating.
This initiative follows similar efforts in other leagues, such as the Bundesliga.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Premier League referee Jarred Gillett is set to wear a camera during tonight’s match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace.

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Referee Gillett will become the first official in Premier League history to don a camera while overseeing a match in the top tier of English football.

Hence, he will be one of the notable highlights in the Selhurst Park clash between Crystal Palace and Manchester United, scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. tonight.

While his bodycam will closely capture all the action, the footage won’t be broadcast to the live audience.

Referees Bodycam

According to a BBC report, the camera the referee will wear during the league game is described as a head-mounted device called a “RefCam.”

This development is a one-time occurrence, and the footage will be utilized for a program aimed at offering insights into officiating in the Premier League.

While this marks the Premier League’s first instance of a referee using a webcam during an official match, the practice itself is not new in professional football.

Referee Daniel Schlager wore a camera and microphone to officiate Frankfurt vs Wolfsburg

The first time of this development in any of Europe’s top five leagues occurred in February 2024 when Referee Daniel Schlager wore a camera and microphone.

While officiating a Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

The recorded footage was utilized for a special program called “Referees Mic’d up – Bundesliga.”