FIFA has introduced semi-automated technology to detect offside in the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar. This cutting edge technology will assist the video match officials and eventually the on-field referee to detect offside faster than ever. Moreover, a 3D animation will be created regarding the offside. It will be shown on the big-screen and the TV screen.
This technology has been successfully trialled in various FIFA events. FIFA used this technology in the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 and FIFA Club World Cup 2021. It is now ready to be rolled in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in November.
FIFA introduced Goal Line technology for the first time in the World Cup 2014. Following its success, FIFA presented VAR (Video Assistant Referee) in the World Cup 2018 in Russia. These technologies have improved the game to a great extent to make it fair and just.
FIFA has spent the last few years improving the VAR. The vision was to harness the technological power to its full potential. Now, the world is ready to accept the new semi-automated technology to detect offside.
How does it detect offside?
12 dedicated cameras will be mounted underneath the roof of the stadium. They will track the ball and each individual player from 29 data points. Then the data will be sent 50 times per second.
The data will detect the exact location of the players including all limbs, helping to detect offside. Moreover, the world cup official match ball Al Rihla will play a vital part. An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor will be placed inside the ball. This sensor, placed in the center of the ball, will send ball data to the operation room 500 times per second.
So, the tech will detect the exact moment when the ball is kicked and compare it with the players’ data. Finally, it will send an offside alert to the video match officials. At the same time, a 3D animation footage of the offside action will be created and shown on the big screen and on TV.
However, it is not a fully automated process as the final decision will be taken by the match referee inside the park. The video match officials will verify the offside alert and confirm it to the on-field referee. The whole process will be done in seconds. So, welcome to the world of fast and precise offside detection.
What does FIFA say about semi-automated offside tech?
FIFA president Gianni Infantino spoke about the new technology.
“At the FIFA World Cup in 2018, FIFA took the brave step to use VAR technology on the world’s biggest stage, and it has proven to be an undisputable success. Semi-automated offside technology is an evolution of the VAR systems that have been implemented across the world.”
“FIFA is proud of this work, as we look forward to the world seeing the benefits of semi-automated offside technology at the FIFA World Cup 2022.”
The Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee spoke about the effectiveness of the cutting edge technology.
“VAR has already had a very positive impact on football and we can see that the number of major mistakes has already been dramatically reduced. We expect that semi-automated offside technology can take us a step further. We are aware that sometimes the process to check a possible offside takes too long, especially when the offside incident is very tight. This is where semi-automated offside technology comes in – to offer faster and more accurate decisions.”
