Premier League ‘decide AGAINST introducing semi-automated offside technology next season’

The Premier League has decided against introducing the semi-automated VAR technology that was used successfully at the World Cup in Qatar, but will introduce additional cameras at grounds, according to reports. 

Mail Sport reported in April that the organisation were considering introducing the technology (SOAT), which involves AI technology tracking players’ limbs to see if they have strayed offside.

An alert is then sent to the VAR, with the technology capable of determining if any part of the player was offside in just half a second.

SOAT was successfully used during Wednesday night’s Europa Conference League final, playing a role in ruling out Fiorentina’s attempt just before the half-time whistle. 

But instead, the organisation will not be in contention for use in the English top-flight, despite its adoption by LaLiga in Spain ahead of next season. 

The Premier League has decided against introducing semi-automated offside technology

Instead top-flight clubs are set to introduce four additional cameras for more VAR angles

As per the Mirror, the recommendation did not make it onto the agenda for the Premier League’s Annual General Meeting, which is set to see all 20 clubs in the league sit down in mid-June. 

Chief executives across the organisation’s clubs are said to believe that the technology may date too quickly for it to prove a difference-maker.  

One innovation that will aim to provide greater clarity over controversial VAR calls next season is the addition of four extra cameras at Premier League grounds. 

Club hierarchies were in agreement with the PGMOL that a wider number of angles would improve the technology on offer, after a number of divisive calls during the 2022-23 campaign. 

Two decisions involving Liverpool saw sides have goals ruled out due to a lack of appropriate angles to judge offside calls. 

The first was during Arsenal’s 3-2 win against the Reds in October, which saw Bukayo Saka’s opening strike allowed despite the England star being caught offside – which was only confirmed by camera angles not then available to the Stockley Park team.

The second saw Liverpool benefit from having Wolves’ late winner disallowed during their FA Cup meeting after Matheus Nunes strayed into a VAR ‘blind spot’ and was incorrectly deemed offside by the team on the pitch.

Should the Premier League confirm the four additional cameras for next season – which will require 14 of the 20 clubs voting in favour of the decision – there is a belief that fewer VAR calls are likely to be contested. 

This season, only two of the offside decisions made by VAR were overturned as incorrect.

Ivan Toney’s equaliser against Arsenal at the Emirates was allowed to stand after VAR failed to spot Christian Norgaard, who set up his striker, was offside.

It later emerged that Lee Mason, who had been in charge of the calls on the day, had failed to draw offside lines on the images.

Brighton’s Pervis Estupinan’s goal against Crystal Palace was incorrectly ruled out for offside

Mason soon after left the PGMOL by mutual consent and no longer officiates in the Premier League.

The second decision took place on the same weekend, when Brighton were denied a goal at Crystal Palace after Pervis Estupinan’s opener was ruled out.

Brighton received another apology from the PGMOL after they went without a penalty at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the start of April.

The decisions saw Brighton and Arsenal drop points, and although Arsenal accepted the apology offered by the PGMOL after the fact, Mikel Arteta said that he would only be satisfied ‘if they give the two points back’.