The semi-automated offside technology will be introduced into the Premier League on Saturday 12 April, 2025.
This was announced in a statement released on premierleague.com on Tuesday.
“The Premier League will introduce semi-automated offside technology on Saturday 12 April (Match Round 32),” the statement Read.
“This follows non-live testing in the Premier League and live operation in the FA Cup this season.
“Semi-automated offside technology automates key elements of the offside decision-making process to support the video assistant referee (VAR).
“It provides more efficient placement of the virtual offside line, using optical player tracking, and generates virtual graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for fans.
“The technology maintains the integrity of the process while enhancing the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decision-making.
“The Premier League has worked in collaboration with PGMOL and sports data and technology company Genius Sports to develop the new semi-automated offside technology system.”
The Premier League hopes that, on average, offside decisions will be made more than 30 seconds faster, according to Sky Sports.
But it warns there could still be delays due to “occasions of occlusion of the ball” (it being hidden from the cameras among a group of players), “edge decisions,” or subjective decisions of whether an offside player was interfering with play.
That would require intervention from the VAR and possibly the on-field referee in the latter instance.
