With the World Cup in full swing, the eyes of millions of fans are on the best players on the planet… and on the referees: their decisions can change the course of a game, and ultimately of history. For the first time this year, referees will rely on a smartwatch to confirm the goals of the biggest football tournament in the world. The unique timepiece, conceived by Hublot at FIFA’s request, was presented at Baselworld earlier this year. It is connected to goal-line technology, an electronic video assistance system for refereeing which follows all the trajectories of the ball and determines for certain if the ball did or did not entirely cross the goal line.
In addition to assisting referees during the competition, the new Hublot Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is also available for football fans to allow them to follow all matches live. Notifications announce matches 15 minutes before kick-off, as well as yellow and red cards, player changes and goals.
Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Nyon, Hublot was the first luxury brand to embrace the world of football, starting in 2006 with sponsorship of the Swiss National Team. In 2010, the company became the first Official Timekeeper of FIFA for the World Cups in South Africa, Brazil, and Russia.
