Germany/DFL: refereeing decisions to be explained to the public at five matches on 01 & 02/02/2025

The DFL will test an innovation whereby the central referee publicly explains his decision, via the stadium's loudspeakers, after checking a contentious situation on the control screen at the edge of the pitch or after a change of decision following the intervention of VAR, during five Bundesliga or 2.Bundesliga matches on Saturday 01 and Sunday 02/02/2025, according to the German Professional Football League on 27/01/2025.

This pilot project, designed to provide greater "transparency when it comes to refereeing decisions", has been initiated by the DFL Football Commission and is being conducted in close coordination between the German League and DFB Schiri GmbH (a 51% DFB and 49% DFL subsidiary responsible for "sport and communication" as well as "management and organisation").

The announcements in the stadiums - and via the TV broadcasters - will enable the referee to provide three pieces of information: the action concerned, the reasons for the video assistant's intervention and the final decision.

The five matches concerned are:
• Fortuna Düsseldorf - SSV Ulm 1846 (2.Bundesliga…