World Cup's lighter whistle helps fuel faster, fiercer tournament

NEW YORK, June 28 : A more lenient refereeing style that allows officials to prioritise the flow of the game over minor contact has emerged as one of the defining features of the World Cup, as the tournament heads into the knockout phase.

Referees have been encouraged to avoid whistling for trifling fouls, helping reduce stoppages and increase ball-in-play time in a tournament already marked by high-scoring matches and relentless intensity.

Experts in data science, physical preparation and refereeing say the approach has combined with the rise of stronger, faster players to produce a quicker and more physically demanding World Cup than ever before.

The changes have been widely welcomed, but specialists warn that players who are not fully fit - particularly those returning from injuries affecting explosive movements such as sprinting and acceleration - could struggle to cope with the demands of the tournament.

"Looking at data from the last three World Cups, the distance covered by the athletes is similar, but there's a lot more high-speed running, a lot more sprinting," said Chris West, conditioning coach for soccer at the University of Connecticut.

Most teams now press opponents not only to disrupt the build-up but also to win the ball back, West said.

As a result, the high-speed running players do in attack continues when possession is lost, as they seek to regain the ball as quickly as possible.

“It has become a high-intensity game,” he said.

SOFT REFEREEING

The game’s relentless intensity has also been aided by a more lenient approach from referees.

“There are a lot of tackles that referees simply don’t call. Anything goes,” Brazilian television pundit Ledio Carmona said during Uruguay’s group-stage match against Spain,