Julian Ryerson urges FIFA to remove referee cameras

Borussia Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson has urged FIFA to abandon referee cameras, saying the technology is altering players’ and officials’ behaviour and turning football into “a bit of a show”.

FIFA used body-worn cameras for referees in all 104 matches at the 2026 World Cup. The system, known as ‘refcams’, gave broadcasters access to footage and audio from the official’s viewpoint, offering viewers a closer perspective on incidents and conversations during matches.

But Ryerson believes the presence of the cameras is affecting normal exchanges on the pitch. The Norway international said players and referees were behaving differently because they knew their interactions could be broadcast.

“I think it’s a bit much now – especially when they have refcams and people start acting a bit differently because they know there’s a camera on them,” Ryerson told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

“You can’t talk to them normally; they try to be overly nice. It’s actually a bit comical.”

Ryerson was among the players to attract worldwide attention during Norway’s match against England after he was shown discussing an offside decision with referee Clement Turpin.

The Borussia Dortmund defender said the technology was unnecessary and called for a return to a more traditional approach to officiating.

“They could get rid of them. We’re there to play football, after all – not for everything else surrounding it,” he added.

“I think football is best when it’s a bit more pure. It’s becoming a bit too much of a show.”

The cameras were introduced to provide television audiences with a closer view of referees’ decisions and on-field conversations. However, Ryerson argues that their wider effect is damaging the natural character of interactions during matches.

He believes football should focus more closely on the game itself rather than the additional material created around it.

Ryerson and Norway will be back in action on Saturday, when they host Wales at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.