Howard Webb expressed his deep concern regarding the FIFA disciplinary committee's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's red card ban during the World Cup. This decision, influenced by a direct appeal from US President Donald Trump, has sparked worries about growing conspiracy theories among fans regarding refereeing integrity.

Webb, who serves as English football's chief refereeing officer, stated, “I was really troubled by it.” He emphasized that the situation highlights a troubling trend where spectators increasingly perceive refereeing decisions as corrupt rather than simply erroneous. He remarked, “Decisions were previously viewed as correct or incorrect, based on your judgment,” but now they often attract unfounded speculation on social media.

Echoing Webb's sentiments, Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League, lamented that discussions about the World Cup have been overshadowed by controversies like the Balogun incident, stating, “I think that’s a huge shame.”

In response to these issues, the English refereeing body has announced several initiatives for the new season, now branded as Pro Ref. Key measures include:

• Weekly publication of independent assessments of key match incidents (KMIs).
• Release of audio from referee-player conversations during matches.
• Expansion of the pool of video assistant referees at Stockley Park to enhance decision-making speed.

Webb indicated a focus on improving officiating, particularly with a commitment to penalizing more holding offenses during set pieces. He stated, “More situations will be penalised... but we still maintain a high threshold.” The aim is to reflect positively on the upcoming season with a higher rate of penalized offenses.