FA Cup: Semi-automated offsides to be used in Aston Villa vs Cardiff City

SAOT will debut in the FA Cup fifth round, improving offside decisions with faster, more consistent VAR technology.

Semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) will be implemented for the first time in English football during the fifth round of the 2024-25 Emirates FA Cup, featuring in seven ties where Premier League teams are playing at home.

The system, developed in collaboration with the Premier League, PGMOL, and Genius Sports, aims to improve the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decision-making without altering accuracy. It will automate key elements of the offside review process while maintaining human oversight from the video assistant referee (VAR).

How SAOT works

SAOT uses up to 30 newly installed stadium cameras, capturing footage at 100 frames per second to track the ball’s movement and up to 10,000 surface data points per player. The technology automatically generates offside lines and kick-point data, reducing the time required for VAR officials to manually draw lines and verify decisions.

Once the system determines an offside position, the VAR confirms the decision before a 3D virtual replay is displayed on stadium screens and broadcasts. The visual representation includes red and green lines to indicate offside and onside positions, with a white vertical wall marking the offside line.

Impact on officiating and match experience

The introduction of SAOT is expected to reduce offside decision times by approximately 30 seconds. However, it will not change the existing offside rule or increase the number of disallowed goals. The Premier League has retained ‘thicker’ offside lines to prevent marginal ‘toenail’ offsides, ensuring consistency with the approach introduced in the 2021-22 season.

While most offside calls will be resolved faster, VAR will retain the ability to manually review decisions in edge cases where players obstruct camera angles. SAOT will also not be used for subjective offside calls, such as interference with play or defensive deflections.

Future implementation

SAOT has been used in UEFA and FIFA competitions, but its introduction in English football marks a significant step toward streamlining officiating decisions. While the technology is not yet fully automated, its use in the FA Cup could pave the way for adoption in future Premier League seasons.