Premier League to adopt semi-automated offside technology next season

Semi-automated offside technology will be used from next season, the Premier League has announced.

All twenty Premier League clubs agreed to the introduction of the new technology at a league shareholders' meeting earlier today.

“The new system will be used for the first time in the Premier League next season,” the Premier League announced in a statement.

“It is anticipated the technology will be ready to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks.”

“The technology will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and will produce high-quality broadcast graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters.”

The decision comes after PGMOL, the refereeing body responsible for the Premier League,  has been put under increasing pressure after repeated high-profile offside errors.

Luiz Diaz’s wrongly disallowed goal against Tottenham even caused Jurgen Klopp to demand a replay.

VAR has been in the Premier League since 2019. Under the current system offside lines are drawn by using a freeze-frame of when an attacker most recently touched the ball to determine a decision.

The Premier League is confident that the use of the new semi-automated technology could save around 30 seconds per decision.

Semi-automated technology is already in use in UEFA competitions, including the Champions League, and the Premier League will follow their lead.

FIFA have led the way on the technology, but the system set to be used in the Premier League is marginally different from the one used at the 2022 World Cup, where the match ball is planted with a chip to provide data.

The technology was implemented in Italy’s Serie A 18 months ago, and is also being introduced to La Liga at the start of the 2024/25 season.