FIFA to Implement Semi-Automated Offside Technology at the Club World Cup
FIFA will implement advanced semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) at the Club World Cup, a system that seeks to streamline and improve refereeing decisions, especially in clear and obvious situations.
This technology could prevent situations like the one suffered by Taiwo Awoniyi, Nottingham Forest striker, who suffered an injury after a collision against the post in a match against Leicester City.
Awoniyi, after a play in which he was in an offside position, had to undergo surgery and subsequently recovered.The SAOT has already been successfully tested in the Intercontinental Cup and in youth tournaments. The system provides a quick audio signal to the assistant, indicating that they should raise the flag in very clear offside situations.
FIFA has confirmed that the system will track player and ball positions, providing automated and real-time alerts to officials in the event of a clear offside.
However, this does not mean the end of late offside flags that often frustrate fans. Most offsides will still need to be validated before a decision is made. The technology is not designed to intervene in tighter decisions.
This initiative, approved by IFAB, is still in the testing phase and has not been approved for widespread use in football or in the Premier League.
FIFA hopes to avoid incidents like the one that caused Taiwo Awoniyi’s serious injury.
In addition, fans present in the Club World Cup stadiums in the United States this summer will be able to follow VAR reviews live on the giant screens.
Although fans will not yet be able to hear the conversations between the referee and the video assistant, they will be able to follow the replays shown on the field monitor to make the decision.
Currently, most competitions show a replay on the big screens after a decision has been made. However, some, like the Australian A-League, have gone a step further by sharing the live replay.
This is another small step to improve communication with fans about VAR reviews, but it still doesn’t achieve full transparency. The question remains the usefulness of the replay without the context of what is being discussed.
FIFA also confirmed that referees will wear body cameras, with the footage immediately available for DAZN, the global broadcasting body, to use in match broadcasts.
I am sure that for the 117 match officials selected for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, being among those participating in the competition for the first time is something very exciting, because they will be part of football history.
Pierluigi Collina, FIFA Referees Committee Chairman
Collina added that these innovations demonstrate FIFA’s commitment to using technology and improving the overall football experience, with special emphasis on improving the transparency and understanding of refereeing decisions.
