CBF will implement semi-automated offside, next-generation VAR, as well as formal contracts for refereeing teams and a performance system with relegations
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As has become recurrent in recent times,Brazil is several steps above the rest of CONMEBOL and Argentina, its main rival in the region. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced an ambitious refereeing reform plan that includes an investment of nearly 40 million dollars over two seasons and that will position Brazilian soccer at the cutting edge of the continent in terms of technology and the professionalization of referees.
The project, which will begin to be implemented for the 2026 season, contemplates the incorporation of semiautomatic offside and the goal-line technology system, technologies that are already used in top-level leagues and tournaments such as the Premier League, LaLiga, the Champions League, and the competitions organized by FIFA, including World Cups.
The modernization will not be limited to those tools. It will also include the installation of chips in the official balls, the use of smartwatches and body cameras, and a complete renovation of the VAR booths, with state-of-the-art monitors and systems that aim to speed up decisions and improve transparency.
Los cambios tecnológicos que impulsa la CBF
With this decision,Brazil will become the first country in South America to implement this type of technology comprehensively in its domestic league. In addition, Brazilian clubs that play in international competitions will arrive with greater adaptation to systems that are already commonplace in elite world soccer.
In parallel, CBF confirmed a historic structural change:the professionalization of referees. On-field referees, assistants, and VAR operators will begin to have a formal contract with the Confederation, will receive a fixed monthly salary and an additional payment for each match officiated. In return, they will have to undergo periodic physical and technical evaluations and comply with more demanding standards.
In that regard, a performance ranking will be implemented. According to the information provided by the body, at the end of each season, at least two referees in each role will be relegated from the professional category according to their grades, being replaced by lower-level referees who have stood out. The ratings will be carried out by a technical committee and observers from CBF itself, who will measure different variables such as game control, application of the rules, physical performance, clarity in communication, and use of VAR.
Los árbitros serán evaluados por su rendimiento
According to the organization, the measure will cover 72 professionals (20 central referees, 40 assistants, and 12 video referees) and will have as its main objective raising the level of refereeing and reducing the margin of error in a sport that is increasingly competitive and exposed.
This way, CBF is committing to a comprehensive package that combines cutting-edge technology and professionalization, aligning Brazilian refereeing with the standards of the most advanced leagues on the planet.
