The Premier League will introduce semi-automated offside technology for its fixtures starting on Saturday, April 12.
This decision comes after extensive non-live testing in the league and the technology’s debut in English football during the FA Cup fifth round in February.
Designed to improve accuracy in tight offside calls, the system automates key aspects of the decision-making process, assisting the video assistant referee (VAR). The Premier League stated that the technology enhances “the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decision-making.”
First introduced at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the technology has already been implemented in Serie A, La Liga, and the Champions League. The first Premier League match to feature the system will be Manchester City’s home game against Crystal Palace at 12:30 BST.
How Semi-Automated Offside Technology Works
The system reduces human subjectivity by automating crucial decisions that were previously made by officials.
Currently, when a goal is scored following a borderline offside situation, VAR officials must determine:
- The exact moment the ball was played
- The defender’s position and angle at that moment
- The attacker’s position and angle
With the new technology, all three of these factors will be automatically calculated.
Each of the 20 Premier League stadiums has been equipped with specialized cameras beneath the roof to track the ball and capture 10,000 data points on each player’s body. This allows for precise determination of whether an attacker was beyond the last defender at the moment the ball was played.
Artificial intelligence processes this data in real time to decide if a player was onside or offside. VAR officials then verify the system’s calculations before confirming the decision to the on-field referees.
A 3D animation of the offside ruling will be displayed on television broadcasts and stadium screens to provide clarity for fans.
