FIFA to deploy semi-automatic offside technology at Qatar World Cup

Semi-automatic offside technology will already be at the World Cup in Qatar. In 2018 it was VAR and now the aim is to go one step further to ensure greater fairness in football. This technology can detect offside within 25 seconds.

FIFA will officially unveil the system on November 22 during the World Cup in Qatar and seems determined to continue using it after the World Cup.

The system will help video referee teams and on-field referees make faster, more accurate and reliable decisions.

To improve communication with fans when the referee is deciding whether or not there is an offside, a 3D animation of a replay will run on the stadium screens. This footage will also be seen by viewers at home on their TV screens.

The video below shows how such a controversial situation is evaluated.

The system has two basic elements, a ball sensor and 12 cameras. These are the starting point of all the action.

Cameras under the roof of each stadium capture the movement of the ball and up to 29 data points for each player. Fifty times per second to calculate their exact position on the pitch. Among the 29 data sets collected are limbs and body parts that are taken into account when creating offside.

The entire assessment process will be much faster and more accurate than before, according to the former Collina referee. The final decision should be made within 25 seconds. “Until now, even with the best technique, it takes an average of 70 seconds,” Collina said.

Special ball

The Adidas ball has a sensor in its centre that sends data 500 times a second to the VAR room, allowing the exact moment of contact with the ball to be determined.

Source: Marca, FIFA, Twitter