Premier League to adopt semi-automated offside technology

Premier League clubs have unanimously approved the use of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) for the 2024-25 season.

The English top fight will use the same cameras and software that UEFA uses in the men’s Champions League. That is slightly different from the technology which FIFA has used, where a match ball with a chip inside provides an array of data.

The Premier League confirmed in a statement that it believes the SAOT will be ready to use following one of the autumn international breaks.

The Premier League believes the use of SAOT will save around 30 seconds per decision. It hopes its introduction will bring an end to situations where play continues after a possible offside because the assistant referees have been instructed to keep their flags down before then being brought back some time later after an attack has ended.

Instead, the assistant referees will have a voice in their earpiece informing them of the semi-automated offside decision and can raise their flag immediately.

The existing manual framework for Video Assistant Referees (VAR) has attracted criticism this season, most notably for Luis Diaz’s incorrectly disallowed goal against Tottenham Hotspur in September. Though the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) — the organisation responsible for refereeing in England — admitted that was a “significant human error”, the time taken for offsides in general to be reviewed by VARs has also been criticised.

Amid that criticism, the Premier League has been monitoring the technology amid behind-the-scenes testing before now deciding to approve its use for next season.

Since the implementation of VAR technology in the Premier League in 2019, offsides have been subject to a review process. That involves the VAR manually calibrating offside lines by using a freeze-frame of when the ball last touched an attacker in order to judge whether a player is offside.

A Premier League statement read: “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.”