Overview

• Referees completed loudspeaker training at the Cascia workshop to standardize in-game explanations of VAR decisions before the season opener.
• The “announcement in campo” system, trialed at the FIFA Club World Cup, has received approval for official use in Serie A and Serie B matches.
• Serie C will debut a “VAR a chiamata” protocol granting coaches two on-demand video review requests per match to improve dialogue and reduce protests.
• An eight-second limit for goalkeeper restarts after VAR interventions will be enforced immediately, with violations resulting in a corner kick.
• AIA has slimmed the top-tier referee pool to 40 match officials, backed by 74 assistants and 24 VAR specialists, and secured legal safeguards equating referees to public officials under anti-violence laws.