Referees to Give Post-Match Interviews in La Liga

Referees in Spain's La Liga will begin taking part in television interviews after matches. The new practice comes into effect under a collective bargaining agreement aimed at improving referees' working conditions and making decision-making processes more transparent. The system will be limited to two pre-selected matches each week and will begin with the match between Levante and Atletico Madrid.

The referee of the Basque derby between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad, which will be played on Sunday, will also explain his decisions after the match. This step continues measures that have already given referees a greater media presence in the league. Pre-match referee interviews had previously been introduced on DAZN and Movistar.

Referees who take part in the practice will also receive a financial incentive. A total prize pool of 500 thousand euros, approximately 557,500 dollars, will be shared among the referees who take part in the interviews.

The league has taken other steps toward transparency in recent years. Audio recordings of VAR conversations have been made available to all clubs, and club executives meet regularly with referees at the Spanish Football Federation's headquarters in Las Rozas. Body cameras worn by referees during matches also appear more often in broadcasts. Referees in Spain face intense criticism because of controversial incidents that often involve Real Madrid and Barcelona. Press conferences have been held before the Copa del Rey final, but a practice like this after matches had not been introduced before.