The Premier League has announced that from next season, semi-automated offside technology will be used to make decisions during matches. This move is expected to reduce the time it takes for officials to reach their decisions and improve the accuracy of the calls. The decision to introduce this technology was reached unanimously by England’s top-division clubs, with the new system set to be launched in the first half of the season.
According to the league, the technology will provide a quicker and more consistent placement of the virtual offside line based on optical player tracking. It will also enhance the in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters by producing high-quality graphics. The Premier League’s system will be more aligned with UEFA’s system used in the Champions League.
Details on the exact nature of the offside technology that will be used in the Premier League will be announced once contracts are signed. Extensive testing and analysis have been conducted this season to ensure its effectiveness. Italy’s Serie A already uses semi-automated offside technology, where cameras track player movements and record data points on relevant parts of the body to make offside decisions.
The integration of artificial intelligence processes this data to create a 3D offside line. It is estimated that this new technology will reduce the time taken by VAR officials to reach a decision manually by an average of around 30 seconds, improving confidence in decision-making following some high-profile mistakes. Despite this new technology, there will still be a manual backup system available in case there is a failure or malfunction of semi-automated technology.
The introduction of AI-based player tracking technology is set to revolutionize football as we know it, providing greater accuracy and efficiency while enhancing spectator experience through high-quality graphics.