According to Mundo Deportivo, the La Liga Technical Committee of Referees has announced the assessment methods for referees, assistant referees, and VAR teams for the 2026-2027 season, with artificial intelligence also incorporated to assist in evaluation.

In a notice obtained by Mundo Deportivo, the Technical Committee of Referees explained that there have been significant changes to the assessment system this season, including the addition of assistant referee TV observers, referee observers, and sideline referee coaches. The sideline referee coaches' responsibilities focus on accompaniment, personal improvement, and on-site evaluation, supplementing aspects that cannot be fully captured by video analysis alone.

The emergence of artificial intelligence will also support the evaluation system. As Fran Soto, president of the Technical Committee of Referees, previously confirmed in Mundo Deportivo, AI will be incorporated into the assessment as an auxiliary element. The referee department's notice states that artificial intelligence "helps to strengthen the objectivity, consistency, and traceability of scoring, providing technical indicators and performance data, supplementing the professional judgment of evaluators designated by the Technical Committee of Referees."

However, artificial intelligence will not replace human professional judgment but will only enhance the scores given by TV observers. TV observers' scores account for 65% of the total score, based on multiple parameters: game difficulty and complexity of key actions, application and understanding of game rules and current refereeing standards, correctness of technical and disciplinary decisions, control ability, player and coach management, conflict prevention, and referee authority.

In addition, the assessment also considers positioning, game reading, anticipation, adaptability to game rhythm, teamwork, correct use of available technical tools, and consistency with evidence provided by artificial intelligence.

Reports from sideline referee coaches account for 15%, considering pre-match preparation and understanding of the competitive context, physical fitness, running, proximity to ball possession, stability of positioning, non-verbal communication, leadership, and ability to handle tense situations.

Professional performance before, during, and after the match, as well as learning ability, self-criticism, and technical progress throughout the season, will also be included. Finally, the Technical Committee of Referees will give a comprehensive score of 10% based on performance throughout the season.

The scoring for the VAR team is different, with 55% depending on reliability, which includes "correctness based on video, standards of the Technical Committee of Referees, and objective evidence." This item will look at four criteria: correctly handled OFR interventions, incorrectly handled OFR interventions, correctly handled critical checks, and incorrectly handled critical checks.

Another 30% depends on the technical analysis of referee performance, focusing on process, communication, shot selection, process norms, standards of the Technical Committee of Referees, time taken for checks and reviews, OFR handling, and objective evidence. Another 5% comes from responsiveness in exams, tests, physical tests, and other supplementary tests determined by the Technical Committee of Referees, and an additional 10% comes from the CTA's comprehensive evaluation.

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