Casarin: In Italy, technology is trusted more than the referee

In an interview with Corriere della Sera, former referee Paolo Casarin commented on the developing use of technology to aid match officials in the world of football.

He suggested that FIFA is altering the game to accommodate nations with little football history. This trend, which became evident after the Qatar tournament, continues as it is confirmed that the 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia.

Casarin implied that the referee, once the supreme authority on the field, might soon be compelled to rely more on the guidance or directives from Video Assistant Referees (VAR). He said, “The future could well belong to the VAR system that successfully integrates the field referee with technology.”

Referring to the requirements of future referees, Casarin said, “In the future, the highest level of professional football (around 3% of the global game) will require additional technology.” He even suggested that a referee may ultimately only have to publicly communicate VAR’s work and handle basic calls.

On the topic of effective game time, he offered, “Actual play time will exceed the hour due to fewer protests; in Italy, there’s more faith in technology than in the referee!”

Concluding his assessment of present-day video assistance in football, he noted, “Today, true VAR instances are extremely few, perhaps only one interprets its role in the best way, and that is Massimiliano Irrati, who is also highly appreciated abroad.”