Semi-automatic offside technology will be applied to the 2022 World Championship. This technology will significantly aid the VAR and the referee, making decisions faster and more accurate.
Offside has been a topic of discussion since the dawn of football, and with the advent of VAR, it has already improved somewhat. Still, it is occasionally a matter of interpretation, and making a decision takes quite a lot of time. This should be a thing of the past with the advent of this semi-automatic offside technology.
Tested on various earlier events
FIFA has developed and successfully tested the technology in recent years. The football association has organized various test events, and this technology was also used during the Arab Cup 2021 and the World Cup for clubs in 2021.
World Cup will have 12 unique cameras
The new technology uses 12 unique cameras that track the ball, which is mounted under the stadium’s roof. Furthermore, these cameras record 29 data points per player, 50 times per second, so their exact position on the field can be accurately determined.
A sensor will be placed in the official ball of the 2022 World Cup, Al Rihla. This sensor transmits data 500 times per second to determine precisely when the ball is kicked.
When an attacker is offside, the VAR first receives a notification. The line and point from which the ball was kicked are determined within a few seconds, after which the VAR can decide to signal the referee on the field. A 3D image showing the lines and the moment of play is then shown to the spectators on the large screens in the stadium and on TV.