FIFA will roll out “advanced semi-automated offside technology” for VAR at the Club World Cup, which could eliminate the kind of situation that led to Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi being placed in an induced coma.
Awoniyi suffered the injury after colliding with the post late in a game against Leicester City last month after the assistant kept the flag down to allow the move to play out, with the 27-year-old shown to be clearly offside. He had to undergo “urgent” surgery on an abdominal injury, but later fully recovered.
FIFA held successful trials of the enhanced offside tech at the Intercontinental Cup in December, and at a number of youth tournaments. It gives a quick audio signal in the assistant’s ear, instructing them to raise the flag in very obvious offside situations, like that of Awoniyi.
FIFA said the system would “track players’ positions and the ball, providing automated, real-time alerts to match officials in the event of clear offsides.”
This does not, however, mean an end to the delayed offside flag that often frustrates supporters, and most offsides would still need to be validated before the decision is taken. It is not suggested that the technology is quick enough or advanced enough to intervene in closer decisions.
This remains a trial, approved by the IFAB, and is not yet approved for use across all football or the Premier League.
Meanwhile, supporters inside stadiums at the Club World Cup in the United States this summer will be able to follow VAR reviews live on the giant screens.
While fans still won’t be allowed to hear the discussion between the referee and the video assistant, they will be able to follow the replays that are being shown on the pitchside monitor to make the decision.
At present, most competitions show a replay on the big screens after an intervention has been made, Few, one being the Australian A-League, have gone to the next step by sharing the replay live.
It’s another slow step forward in improving the communication with fans over VAR reviews, but still falls short of full transparency. The question remains how much use the replay is without the context of what is being discussed.
FIFA also confirmed that referees will wear body cameras with the footage immediately available to global broadcaster DAZN to use in match broadcasts.
Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of the FIFA’s referees committee, said: “I’m sure that, for all 117 match officials selected for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, being among those who are participating in the competition the first time ever is something very exciting, because they will be part of football history.
“These innovations demonstrate FIFA’s commitment to using technology and improving the overall football experience, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the transparency and understanding of refereeing decisions.”