MIES (Switzerland) - FIBA is introducing a Referee Operations Centre (ROC) during the Qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, marking a step forward in global referee performance monitoring and development.

 

All in one place

The ROC will be based at FIBA Headquarters in Mies, Switzerland, serving as a central hub to oversee all games during each qualification window. This initiative ensures a comprehensive and real-time picture of refereeing standards worldwide. ROC will also provide information of the referees’ performance to the Regional Office FIBA Referee Managers, who are key persons for the successful outcome as well.

 

Working methods

There will be two key groups involved in the process. The ROC Team, consisting of six experts, will monitor all games simultaneously to collect an overall view of referee performance across regions. Alongside them, nine Referee Instructors will be assigned to all games, responsible for online monitoring and completing detailed performance assessment reports for each game. In addition, 28 Video Operators will ensure that every game is tagged and analyzed, providing data inputs for statistics and video clips to support evaluations and future training.

 

The benefits

The qualification windows are crucial because they offer the best opportunity to create a global snapshot of refereeing quality. By centralizing observation and analysis, FIBA can identify trends and areas for improvement, ensure consistency in officiating standards, and provide actionable insights that support referee development.

 

Scale of the First Window

• Games: 76
• Referees:  89 referees nominated
• Coverage: Every game monitored and assessed

This approach will continue across all six qualification windows, ending up in February 2027, ensuring sustained quality and transparency throughout the process.

 

FIBA