Premier League clubs have unanimously voted in favour of introducing AI-based player tracking technology to assist in making offside calls. The move is expected to streamline the decision-making process for officials.

The plan is to introduce the system after one of the international breaks in September or October.

According to the league, the offside technology will change how offside calls are determined. By using optical player tracking, the system will establish virtual offside lines, which will greatly reduce the time taken by officials to reach a decision. 

Fifa first used this technology back in 2022 during the men’s World Cup in Qatar. The tech is expected to cut the length of a video assistant referee (VAR) check for offside by 31 seconds. 

While further details regarding the exact specifications of the offside technology are pending contractual agreements, extensive testing and analysis have been undertaken throughout the current season to ensure its effectiveness and reliability.

Semi-automated offside technology has already been integrated into Italy’s Serie A, demonstrating its efficacy in enhancing decision-making processes and minimising errors. 

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Multiple cameras will be deployed to track player movements and capture relevant data points, which will then be processed using artificial intelligence to generate a comprehensive 3D offside line for review by the team of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) officials.

While the semi-automated system will serve as the primary method for determining offside calls, a manual backup system will be available in the event of any technological failures, ensuring the continuity and integrity of officiating standards throughout matches.

This is not the only integration of AI in football that the Premier League has seen. Last month Liverpool Football Club, in collaboration with DeepMind announced it had developed an AI model aimed to improve football tactics, specifically with corner kicks.