Brazilian referees strike partnership with Garmin

Brazilian referees strike partnership with Garmin

The Refereeing Department of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has entered into a partnership with Garmin, a global leader in high-performance technology. As part of this partnership, all referees, assistant referees, and VAR officials in the PRO CBF category will be managed and monitored via GPS, with all the work being carried out—even remotely—by the organization’s health and performance professionals. This plan will be monitored in real time by that team.

“This is a partnership that adds value. It is another step in the pursuit of excellence for Brazilian refereeing. Today, we have only one week of in-person work with the referees each month, while the other three involve remote activities. Now, we will be able to carry out all monitoring, adjustments, and execution of activities through the technology provided by Garmin. We may be far away, but we will be following everything closely with this technology, allowing real-time reports on the professionals’ activities and physical preparation in the PRO CBF category,” said Rodrigo Cintra, president of the CBF Refereeing Commission.

Each referee in the PRO CBF category received a “Garmin Forerunner 970” watch, featuring the latest in GPS technology and monitoring. Netto Góes, CBF Refereeing Director, celebrated the partnership and the progress of Brazilian refereeing, seeking the most advanced technology and high-performance solutions available on the global stage.

“We are investing in and making modern, advanced technology available to Brazilian refereeing. We will have full monitoring through this system, allowing us to stay close to these professionals and improve the quality of each individual’s physical work. It is a major step forward, a major investment. Garmin is a renowned company, a respected brand whose technology is used by several international federations. It is a game-changing moment alongside the professionalization of our referees,” he said.

For Daniele Rocha, Garmin’s product manager in Brazil, the partnership reinforces the brand’s commitment to advancing health and sports performance in the country. “Proparts, Garmin’s official distributor in Brazil, is proud to make this initiative possible, expanding the brand’s already well-established track record across various sports. Bringing this technology to football refereeing—one of the country’s greatest passions—represents a significant step forward, connecting innovation, health, and high performance to one of the pillars of Brazilian sport.”