This year's sold-out Champions Hockey League Final will see referees mic'd up for the first time on Europe's premier hockey showpiece.

CHL News

In Tuesday's CHL championship game, referees Mikko Kaukokari and Stefan Fonselius, both from Finland, will wear microphones wired in to the live broadcast, enabling viewers to hear what's being said to players during the game. In addition to the television audience, those in the arena will also be able to hear the penalties called by referees after the play has been whistled down, as well as explain any decisions – such as to award goals (or not) after video review!

The technology has already been widely used in North America, but only in a handful of European leagues. It was, however, tested in both Semi-Final return games in Prague and Fribourg on 17 January, receiving positive feedback from broadcasters and the league's supervisory board.

The mic'd up referees will be part of a broadcast infrastructure, including 15 cameras inside Gothenburg's Frolundaborgs Isstadion. The game has been sold to 51 territories worldwide by the CHL's exclusive media and marketing partner Infront Sports & Media. Sweden's national broadcaster SVT will take charge of the main production, overseen by Infront.