In an effort to expedite judgements and lessen the need for assistant referees to postpone raising the offside flag, FIFA has introduced a new generation of semi-automated offside equipment for the 2026 World Cup.
When a playerexceedsn ten cm offside, the updated technology will work in tandem with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to provide assistant referees with a real-time audio alert. Compared to earlier iterations tested during the Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup, which only notified officials when a player was more than 50 cm offside, this new system is a major improvement.
Assistant referees will still have the last say on when to stop play and raise the flag under the new system. FIFA stated that several protections have been incorporated into the system to minimise mistakes, but they may decide to keep the flag down if they anticipate a technical problem.
When players are on the ground or close together, the technology may struggle to make very tight offside calls. Additionally, it may only be applied to positional offsides; it cannot be used to make subjective judgements, such as whether a player interfered with an opponent without touching the ball.
FIFA hopes the system will reduce frustration among players and fans by allowing quicker decisions and limiting unnecessary passages of play. It is also expected to lower the risk of injuries that can occur when play continues despite an apparent offside.
Concerns over delayed offside calls gained attention in May 2025 when Taiwo Awoniyi suffered a serious injury after colliding with a goalpost during a move where the assistant referee delayed raising the flag. The striker was later placed in an induced coma.
In another major innovation, FIFA confirmed it will create AI-powered 3D avatars of every player participating in the tournament to improve decision-making accuracy.
The process will involve digitally scanning all 1,248 players from the 48 competing teams. Each player will undergo a one-second scan during pre-tournament photo sessions. The resulting digital models will be used to generate clearer and more detailed offside animations for officials, broadcasters and fans.
FIFA has also approved new technology capable of determining whether the ball crossed the touchline before a goal was scored.
The system will generate a 3D animation similar to goal-line technology, showing the precise position of the ball. A sensor inside the ball will also identify which player last touched it, helping VAR officials review decisions involving corners and other restart situations.
The move follows several controversial incidents, including one involving Aston Villa FC in February, when a goal against Brentford FC was disallowed amid uncertainty over whether the ball had gone out of play.
FIFA is also expanding its ‘Real-time 3D Recreation’ technology to help officials more effectively assess ‘line-of-sight’ offside situations.
The system will provide virtual viewpoints replicating the perspective of both goalkeepers, allowing VAR officials and television audiences to better judge whether a player in an offside position obstructed a goalkeeper’s vision.
Several controversial incidents during the past season involved debates over whether goalkeepers had their view blocked. FIFA believes the new technology will provide officials with an additional tool to make faster and more accurate decisions during such situations.
