Offside decisions in the Premier League referred to VAR will be resolved much faster from early next season after clubs voted to incorporate semi-automated offside technology (SAOT).
The minutes’ long delays while officials in the VAR room compare lines and camera angles could be a thing of the past thanks to the adoption of these semi-automated offside checks, which rely on a multitude of cameras to track players’ positioning and sensors within the ball itself.
Premier League clubs were unanimously in favour of incorporating the tech, which will be used from around September/October in the 2024/2025 Premier League season.
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How semi-automated offside works
SAOT, which is used in the Champions League and in FIFA competitions like the World Cup, relies on 12 cameras being places around the stadium to track the precise positioning of players around the field.
The system identifies 29 data points on each player, including all of the parts of the body that are legally allowed to play the football.
Sensors in the football itself can detect the precise moment the final pass is played in relation to the positions of the attackers and defenders – the key determining factor in any offside call.
Combined, the data from the cameras and sensors are able to be fed into a system that can quickly produce 3D computerised graphics (main pic) showing representations of the players, can show whether the attacker in question is onside or offside in accurate relation to the position of the last defender when the ball is played.
How will SAOT improve VAR?
This has been a success for officials in the VAR room who are able to adjudicate more rapidly, rather than doing what fans consider to be subjective guesswork in relation to when the ball was played and where the requisite part of the attacker’s body is.
Current VAR tech relies on lower resolution cameras that make definitive offside calls, in very tight situations, very difficult. SAOT will improve this thanks to the improved accuracy and fast generation of the decision, although the decision will still be checked by the refs in the VAR room.
The true winners will be the television audience and fans in the stadium, who might have verdicts on tight calls within 30 seconds, rather than the minutes it currently takes when drawing lines for offside.
That’ll also be a huge benefit for fans in the stadium who are currently completely in the dark during the process. Premier League grounds with the screen technology will be able to show the graphics too, offering a little clarity about the decision and perhaps some sense of peace that the correct decision has been reached without the suspicion of subjectivity in line placement.
When will SAOT tech launch in the Premier League?
The Premier League is targeting a September or October launch for the technology, which is weeks after next season begins in mid-August 2024. So that means the season will be contested under two different sets of decision-making technology.
Of course, it’d be far too good an idea to have this from the start of the season so we can all have clarity and have every game is played under the same system.
One can only assume SAOT will run alongside the current technology in the background as the system is refined, but will not be used in decision making. It’ll also take some time to install the technology in grounds around the Premier League.
What’s the Premier League saying?
The clubs voted unanimously to incorporate the technology and, in a statement, the League said: “At a Premier League shareholders’ meeting today, clubs unanimously agreed to the introduction of semi-automated offside technology.
“The new system will be used for the first time in the Premier League next season, and it is anticipated the technology will be ready to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks.
“The technology will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and will produce high-quality broadcast graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters.”
