July 13, 2026 | Read online | A Disputed World Cup Goal and MLB’s ABS Reversals Plus: McGregor’s comeback ends with an early stoppage |
| |
| | | | Four officiating stories led the headlines this week. FIFA used connected-ball data to answer Norway’s claim that a camera cable interfered with England’s equalizer, Lisandro Martínez defended the standard of refereeing at the World Cup, Mike Beltran stopped Conor McGregor’s return after an apparent leg injury, and MLB’s ABS system overturned calls in favor of both a hitter and a pitcher | Let’s dive in. |
| |
| | |
| | | | | WORLD CUP
⚽ FIFA Rejects Norway’s Camera-Cable Claim Using Ball-Sensor Data | | Norway questioned whether an overhead camera cable interfered with the buildup to Jude Bellingham’s equalizer during England’s 2–1 World Cup quarter-final victory. | The dispute centered on an unusual change in the ball’s direction shortly before the goal. Norway believed the ball may have struck the cable supporting the stadium’s aerial camera system, which would have required play to stop and restart with a dropped ball. | FIFA reviewed data from the connected match ball and said its sensors showed no evidence of contact with the cable. Norway manager Ståle Solbakken remained unconvinced, while Alfie Haaland publicly claimed the team had been “robbed.” | The goal stood, sending England into the semi-finals and leaving ball-sensor data at the center of one of the tournament’s most closely examined decisions. | Read the full story in the New York Post |
| |
| | |
| | | | | | UFC
🥊 Mike Beltran Stops McGregor Comeback 69 Seconds Into First Round | | Referee Mike Beltran stopped Conor McGregor’s return fight against Max Holloway just 69 seconds into the opening round after McGregor suffered an apparent leg injury. | McGregor stumbled after attempting a kick but initially tried to continue. His movement quickly deteriorated, and he repeatedly struggled to remain upright as Holloway moved forward. | Beltran gave McGregor an opportunity to recover before stopping the fight once the injured fighter could no longer move or defend himself properly. Holloway was awarded the victory by technical knockout. | The stoppage ended McGregor’s first UFC appearance in more than five years almost as soon as it began. | Read the full story on talkSPORT |
| |
| | |
| | | | | | WORLD CUP
⚽ Lisandro Martínez Defends World Cup Officials After Egypt Complaint | | Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez defended the tournament’s officials following criticism of the refereeing in Argentina’s 3–2 Round of 16 victory over Egypt. | Egypt objected to several decisions from the match, including a disallowed goal following a VAR review. The Egyptian Football Association subsequently submitted a formal complaint, while critics questioned whether Argentina had received favorable treatment. | Martínez rejected those suggestions and described the refereeing at the World Cup as “excellent.” FIFA referees chairman Pierluigi Collina also dismissed allegations of bias and defended the independence of the tournament’s officials. | The comments arrived as scrutiny of World Cup refereeing continues to grow heading into the final rounds of the tournament. | Read the full story on Reuters |
| |
| | |
| | | | | | MLB
⚾ ABS Overturns Calls for Both a Hitter and a Pitcher | | Major League Baseball’s Automated Ball-Strike challenge system produced two opposite reversals over the weekend. | During Baltimore’s game against Kansas City, the Orioles challenged a called third strike against Pete Alonso. ABS determined that the pitch had missed the strike zone, changing the call to a ball and allowing the plate appearance to continue. | San Diego later challenged a ball called during George Springer’s at-bat against Walker Buehler. The system found that the pitch had clipped the strike zone, overturning ball three and replacing it with a strike. | Watch both challenges on MLB.com |
| |
| | |
| | | | | | Weekly Wrap-Up | Thanks for reading, and as always, we appreciate you being part of our officiating community! | | 🛠️ Resources of the Week: | Claim your OfficialsHub account - Our first-of-its-kind database of over 6,000 official assignors across the U.S. is live. Claim your profile or create one today to start connecting with referees. Referee Management for 2026 - Simplify assignments, communication, and scheduling with Refr. Start your free trial today or book a demo! Honig’s Partner Discount - Save 15% on referee gear with code REFR15.
| |
| |
| | |
| Until next week,
The Officials Hub Team |
|
| | | | | Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 Officials Hub | The Home of Sports Officiating 218 Washington Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401, United States | | | Terms of Service | |
|
|
|
|
|
