Spanish referees to speak after matches: CTA launches post-game explanations

Spanish refereeing takes another step in its transparency policy this weekend. Match officials will begin offering public explanations after games through short interviews with rights-holding broadcasters. The initiative starts in two fixtures and is expected to grow progressively over the coming weeks.

• Referees will give technical explanations after matches in flash interviews with rights-holding TV networks.
• The initiative begins in two games and will expand gradually.
• Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea will be the first to speak, after Levante-Atlético Madrid, alongside the referee of the Basque derby.
• The goal is to provide didactic details about decisions, not to reopen controversies or debates.
• It follows previous measures such as Tiempo de Revisión, the RefCam camera and the CARD manual.

How post-match referee explanations will work

Match officials will speak to rights-holding broadcasters in a short interview format focused on the technical reading of key incidents. The aim of the Spanish Technical Committee of Referees is for these appearances to clarify criteria and provide context for decisions made on the pitch and from the VAR room.

The measure is not designed to create confrontation or expose referees to a review of mistakes. According to those in charge of the committee, the priority is educational: bringing the reasoning behind each decision closer to clubs, players, media and fans.

De Burgos Bengoetxea, first referee to speak

Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea will be the man in charge of opening this new chapter. The Basque official will offer his explanations after the Levante-Atlético Madrid match. Alongside him, the referee assigned to the Basque derby will also take part in this first round of post-game appearances.

Starting with two matches reflects the intention to test the format in a controlled environment before extending it to the rest of the competition. The CTA expects that practice will allow them to adjust timing and tone of the interviews.

CTA's road to refereeing transparency

Post-match appearances are the latest piece of a plan launched when Fran Soto took charge of the Technical Committee of Referees. Since then, the body has promoted several initiatives with a common goal: making refereeing decisions easier to understand for everyone involved in football.

One of the first measures was Tiempo de Revisión, a weekly programme in which the CTA analyses the controversial incidents of each round. In its first season, a technical commission selected the clips and a narrated video explained the criteria. This campaign, the selection is supported by artificial intelligence and the videos feature explanatory captions instead of voice-over.

It is the first time in history that we have publicly admitted mistakes.

RefCam, CARD and other previous steps

Last March, Spanish refereeing introduced the RefCam. This micro-camera, placed on the chest of the main referee, records the match from his perspective with audio and video. After a testing phase with short published clips, its use is now part of regular broadcasts, including moments such as the coin toss.

Another new development this season has been the publication of CARD, a manual that unifies and explains refereeing criteria. Available in digital and printed formats, the tool is aimed at clubs, players, coaches, media and fans. Its purpose is to reinforce consistency in decision-making and share the foundations of refereeing.

The CTA stresses that publishing this manual represents an unusual exercise of openness in international refereeing. According to its leaders, the commitment is to bring refereeing closer to those who live and feel football every weekend.

What this means for LaLiga

Hearing referees after matches changes the relationship between match officials and public opinion. Until now, their decisions were only known through the official report or delayed explanations on Tiempo de Revisión. The new format allows an immediate response to questions that arise during the game.

The scope of the initiative will depend on how it develops in the coming rounds. If the format works, post-match appearances will be extended to more fixtures and could become a permanent feature of Spanish refereeing, just as the RefCam and the weekly review programme have done.