The offside rule is one of the most controversial and complex laws of soccer. Due to the many factors involved, it’s hard to judge an offside call accurately for referees in a blink of a second.
Former Arsenal Manager and the current FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger pointed out last year that an average VAR call takes 70 seconds. That’s a long time in soccer, but it can be reduced with this new semi-automated system.
While time is a crucial factor for these VAR calls, sometimes a match might have one controversial event that can cause a stir if the decision is dubious. With the assistance of AI, these verdicts can be much more accurate.
FIFA is looking to use this technology in World Cup 2022 as well, which, if the last tournament is anything to go by, will likely have half the world watching.
So it’s important for the tech to be tested thoroughly to avoid any hiccups at the main tournament. Robot refs for the 2026 World Cup, anyone?