FIFA has announced to use semi-automated offside technology in an effort to improve the speed and accuracy of decisions.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “Semi-automated offside technology is an evolution of the VAR systems that have been implemented across the world.
“This technology is the culmination of three years of dedicated research and testing to provide the very best for the teams, players and fans who will be heading to Qatar later this year.
The technology successfully tested at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup and at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup will see video match officials receive offside alerts, with decisions validated manually before being communicated to the on-field referee.
Communication with fans inside stadiums will also be improved with a 3D animation displayed on big screens, and to television viewers at home, showing how the offside decision was reached.
“FIFA is committed to harnessing technology to improve the game of football at all levels, and the use of semi-automated offside technology at the FIFA World Cup in 2022 is the clearest possible evidence.”
The new technology uses 12 dedicated tracking cameras mounted underneath the roof of the stadium to track the ball and up to 29 data points of each individual player, 50 times per second, calculating their exact position on the pitch.
