Neo Química Arena gets first gear for semi-automatic offside system | OneFootball

The Neo Química Arena, home of Corinthians, received the equipment for the implementation of the semi-automatic offside system in Brazilian football last Monday. Besides the initial installation, the technology will still undergo adjustment and calibration stages at the stadium before being cleared for official tests in the coming days.

Raimundo Netto Góes, president of the arbitration working group of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), highlighted the importance of the advancement and detailed the next phases of the process: “It is very important and significant to have the Neo Química Arena with the technology. We are advancing, but gradually and respecting the whole process, without skipping steps.”

Photo: Disclosure/Corinthians

“After installation, we will calibrate the images and then work on offside tests (during matches, but unofficially). In the coming weeks, more stadiums will receive the installation of cameras, as we already have all the necessary equipment available for this work. The necessary equipment is already in Brazil, so the installation process will be faster. Fiber and cable connections have also been made in most stadiums, which helps at each stage,” he added.

Initially, the CBF had planned to implement the semi-automatic offside in the first round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. The novelty was part of a refereeing modernization package, announced at the end of 2025 as one of the main technological advances for the season.

However, the entity was unable to complete the installation of the equipment or finish the necessary adjustments in time for the start of the competition, which prevented the system from being used from the first rounds. Therefore, it was decided to adopt a gradual implementation, with specific tests in different stadiums.

So far, there is no official date set for the debut of the feature in official matches in the country. The system is still in the adaptation phase, with the expectation of being used throughout the season, although without a confirmed deadline.

According to Genius Sports, the company responsible for operating the technology, the semi-automatic offside works through cameras positioned in the stadium that capture, in real time, the location of the players and the ball. From this information, a three-dimensional model of the play is created, allowing precise identification of the moment of the pass and the offside line, with the decision being automatically sent to the VAR.

The main difference from the current model is in the automation of the process. Today, defining the lines and the moment of the pass depends on manual analysis, which can make the decision more time-consuming and prone to errors. With the new system, these steps are performed automatically, leaving the referee to only validate the final decision.

Later this week, other stadiums will also receive the necessary equipment. Couto Pereira, home of Coritiba, will be equipped on Wednesday, while Arena da Baixada, home of Athletico-PR, will have the installation on the 19th. Besides them, Arena do Grêmio, Arena MRV, and Mineirão are among the next venues scheduled to receive the technology.

On the field, Corinthians will return to play at the Neo Química Arena next Sunday at 8:30 PM, facing Flamengo in the eighth round of the Brazilian Championship. Before that, the team led by Dorival Júnior will play this Thursday at 9:30 PM against Chapecoense at Arena Condá, also in the national competition.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.