The Premier League this week unanimously voted to introduce semi-automatic VAR offside technology (SAOT) next season. However, the new technology won’t be fully implemented until a few weeks into the season, likely after the international break.
SAOT will be used by FIFA at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and introduced by UEFA during the group stage of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
A statement released by the Premier League said:
“At today’s Premier League general meeting, clubs unanimously agreed to introduce semi-automatic offside technology.
“The new system will be used for the first time in the Premier League next season, with the technology expected to be ready for implementation after the autumn international break.
“This technology places virtual offside lines more quickly and consistently based on optical player tracking and produces high-quality broadcast graphics to ensure an improved in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters. ”
Serie A will introduce SAOT in January 2023, becoming the first European domestic league to transition to the new system, while La Liga has also indicated its intention to transition to SAOT for the 2024-25 season as well. Rumor has it that the delay in England is due to the current provider of offside techniques, Hawkeye, being replaced and the new provider requiring additional testing and not being ready.
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Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images
FIFA uses a system with chips embedded in the ball to increase the accuracy of kick points, while the major European leagues and the Champions League use AI methods to determine kick points. The Premier League’s SAOT installs 12 dedicated cameras around the stadium, tracking 29 data points on players’ bodies, creating an AI model of offside situations while more accurately determining when the last pass is played. Evaluate. This technology sends an alert if a player is in an offside position and allows VAR to see if the player is influencing the play before approving the decision.
While this could lead to more goals being canceled for offside in the Premier League, the biggest selling point of the new technology is that it reduces the human element of calling offsides and drawing lines on the pitch to make offside decisions. is. It also significantly reduced the time it took to make an offside decision, saving an average of 31 seconds.
