Semi-automated offside to give assistant referees sound alert at World Cup

In partnership with

OffsAIde

·3 June 2026

Semi-automated offside to give assistant referees sound alert at World Cup

According to L'Équipe, FIFA will use semi-automated offside technology at the World Cup, which runs from 11 June to 19 July. Assistant referees will be aided by a sound alert on straightforward situations.

The move aims to curb phases where play continues before VAR flags an offence. The tool should help assistants raise their flag more quickly by signalling the attacker’s position via an audio cue.

OneFootball Videos

Similar versions were tested at the Club World Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 2025.

In those trials, assistants were alerted only when a player was more than 50 centimetres offside. The margin will be cut to 10 centimetres at the upcoming tournament.

For calls decided by just a few centimetres, and for more subjective phases, officials will still wait for VAR intervention.

Source: L'Équipe