FIFA’s New High‑Tech Offside Machine
2022’s World Cup is getting a serious tech boost. FIFA’s latest plan is to drop state‑of‑the‑art AI cameras and a snazzy sensor into the ball itself, promising razor‑sharp offside calls that should be decided in a blink.
How the System Works
- Ball Sensor: “Tiny but mighty” – sits in the ball’s centre and zips data to the system 500 times every second.
- Roof‑Mounted Cameras: 12 high‑flying cams that see the entire field. They track 29 key points on each player’s body using machine learning.
- Decision Flow: When the computer flags a potential offside, an alert pops up in the VAR room. A quick eye‑check by a human operator confirms it, then the decision is relayed to the on‑field referee.
- Fast‑Track Result: All of this happens in just a few seconds.
- Replay Magic: The data isn’t just about making calls. It’s also used to create real‑time replays that will be shown on screens in the stadium and on TV, giving viewers a clear, side‑by‑side view of why the call was made.
Why This Might Be a Game‑Changer
FIFA says the new tech will let referees and assistant referees focus on the bigger picture while the data takes care of the nitty‑gritty offside dust‑up. It’s a blend of human experience and machine precision.
Some Fans Are Growing Fussy
Not everyone is throwing their hats in the ring. Some supporters argue it’s taking the fun, spontaneous side of football away – making the game feel more like a simulation than a living, breathing sport.
Collina’s Take
Legendary ex‑referee Pierluigi Collina, chair of the FIFA Referees Committee, gave a calm spin to the chatter:
“Someone called it ‘robot offside’ – it’s not. The referees and assistants are still on the field, making the final call.”
But of course, the tech is there to spot the trick plays and help keep the game fair.
Bottom Line
FIFA’s move to semi‑automatic VAR isn’t a wholesale handover to machines – it’s a partnership. The human decision‑makers stay front‑and‑center, while AI does the math and keeps the calls crisp and credible.
Are you ready for the “Robot Offside” revolution? Whether you’re in the stands or on the couch, the extra data is set to make the World Cup experience more precise, more transparent, and hopefully, more exciting.
