The Premier League has announced that semi-automated offside technology will be introduced on Saturday, April 12, 2025, during Match Round 32.
In a statement released on Tuesday via premierleague.com, the league confirmed the decision following extensive testing.
“The Premier League will introduce semi-automated offside technology on Saturday, April 12 (Match Round 32),” the statement read. “This follows non-live testing in the Premier League and live operation in the FA Cup this season.”
The system is designed to assist the video assistant referee (VAR) by automating key aspects of offside decision-making. It improves the placement of the virtual offside line using optical player tracking and generates virtual graphics, enhancing the experience for both in-stadium and broadcast audiences.
“This technology upholds the integrity of the process while increasing the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decisions,” the statement continued.
The Premier League has collaborated with PGMOL and sports technology company Genius Sports to develop the system. The league expects that, on average, offside decisions will be made over 30 seconds faster.
However, the league cautions that some delays may still occur due to factors such as “occlusion of the ball” (when it is obscured by players), “edge decisions,” or subjective interpretations of whether an offside player was interfering with play. In such cases, VAR intervention and possibly on-field referee involvement may still be required.
