Overview
- The AUF piloted the device in Nacional vs Rentistas at Gran Parque Central on October 16, 2026, with referee Eduardo Varela using it to register bookings and expulsions that synced live to the COMET match system.
- The handheld unit has two side buttons that display yellow or red on a screen, lets officials select player numbers, and sends incidents such as cards, substitutions and penalties in real time to COMET.
- Officials and broadcasters praised the administrative gain from removing pencil-and-paper reporting, while AUF refereeing leaders said the prototype proved the concept but needs refinement.
- Tests and the match revealed visibility and luminosity problems—the color display is hard to see in direct sunlight and from some angles—so AUF plans contrast and brightness adjustments before any wider use.
- Referees welcomed the tool and suggested future links to VAR, while some traditionalists worry the device reduces the symbolic impact of physical cards; the AUF Department of Refereeing will evaluate phased adoption.