In a groundbreaking development for football officiating, referees in England are now using advanced analytics software similar to the technology used by top football clubs. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has partnered with Kitman Labs, a renowned sports performance intelligence company from Silicon Valley known for its work with elite clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea.
This collaboration aims to transform the way referees are managed and developed by providing PGMOL with a unified platform for real-time medical, fitness, and performance data.
Dr. Steve McNally, PGMOL’s Performance Support Director, emphasizes the potential of this initiative: “By gathering this information and identifying valid and reliable metrics, we hope to continuously enhance the performance of our match officials and discover new talent.”
Read more about efforts to involve more former footballers in refereeing roles, leveraging their deep understanding of the game to improve officiating standards in the City AM article, or view the full-page feature below.