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Spanish football is on the brink of a historic shift in officiating. La Liga referees are set to appear on camera after matches to break down and explain their key decisions—and they will even be financially compensated for doing so.
The new initiative will be rolled out gradually, with the pilot test taking place this Sunday during the Basque derby between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad.
Although officiating has long been a major talking point in Spanish football, league authorities and the Referees' Committee are taking a decisive step toward transparency. Match officials will field questions from rights-holding broadcasters immediately after the final whistle.
The trial will kick off with two fixtures in the upcoming round, granting primary broadcasters DAZN and Movistar+ the chance to conduct an afternoon or evening flash interview with a referee. The format will be evaluated continuously ahead of a potential wider rollout.
Spanish referees have already been making pre-match media appearances since the start of the current campaign.
These extra media duties stem from an agreement reached between the referees' association (AESAF), La Liga, and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
La Liga has set aside a €500,000 fund to compensate referees for their appearances across television broadcasts.
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