The Premier League has announced it will introduce semi-automated offside technology in matches across Matchday 32 on Saturday, April 12, after a successful testing operation. It represents a significant development in the usage of a video assistant referee (VAR) and should result in quicker offside decisions to keep games flowing.
Testing of the semi-automated offside technology took place in a non-live Premier League environment and during FA Cup ties earlier this season. Now, competition chiefs are confident it is ready to be implemented in competitive top-flight matches throughout the final seven matchdays of the campaign. There will likely be a subsequent decision about whether to introduce semi-automated offsides permanently from the start of 2025/26.
A statement on Tuesday read: “Semi-automated offside technology automates key elements of the offside decision-making process to support the video assistant referee (VAR).
“It provides more efficient placement of the virtual offside line, using optical player tracking, and generates virtual graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for fans.
“The technology maintains the integrity of the process while enhancing the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decision-making.
“The Premier League has worked in collaboration with PGMOL and sports data and technology company Genius Sports to develop the new semi-automated offside technology system.”
The semi-automated offside system uses up to 30 installed cameras mounted around Premier League stadiums.
Some of them will capture footage at 100 frames per second, which is twice the frame rate of the cameras that broadcasters like Sky Sports and TNT Sport use.
The cameras track the ball’s exact movement and as many as 10,000 surface “mesh” data points per player, making it able to identify if any attacker involved in the build-up to any incident was offside.
If an issue is spotted, they are automatically flagged to the VAR and SAOT operator in SAOT software, which the VAR uses to make their decision.
The VAR currently works with the replay operators to manually determine the “kick point” for the offside decision before drawing calibrated lines using multiple camera angles.
Semi-automated offside technology will automatically create offside lines on the second rear-most defender and the relevant attacker after suggesting a “kick point”.
The idea is it will save a substantial period of time and allow the VAR to review, approve and relay the decision to the on-field referee as quickly as possible.
As with current VAR calls, a decision visual will be automatically displayed on screens at stadiums and explained on social media.
