Qatar World Cup to use semi-automated offside technology

Semi-automated offside technology will be used at the World Cup in Qatar this winter, FIFA has announced.

FIFA estimates the technology will help to cut decision-making time on offsides from an average of 70 seconds using current video review methods down to between 20 and 25 seconds.

Crucially, FIFA intends to show spectators in the stadium and viewers at home a 3D illustration of the decision after it has been made, most likely at the next break in play after the incident.

Pierluigi Collina, the chairman of the world governing body's referees’ committee, hopes the new system will be as "praised" and accepted as goal-line technology has become, with a similar margin for error.

He said GLT had been accurate to within three centimetres when it was introduced and was now accurate "to a few millimetres".

He was keen though to insist that the on-field referee, and the video assistant, were still vital in validating decisions, and at pains to manage expectations on the speed of the new system.

"I’ve heard a lot about 'robot referees’. I understand sometimes this is very good for headlines, but this is not the case," the Italian said.

"The match officials are still involved in the decision-making process, as the technology gives an answer only when a player is in an offside position.

"In other words, the assessment of interfering with an opponent remains a match official’s responsibility.

"Similarly, I heard (people say it could take) four or five seconds to get the offside decision. Certainly, we cannot get an answer within four or five seconds, this is a wrong expectation.

"We will be faster, we will be more accurate – these are the objectives of the semi-automated offside technology."

Semi-automated offside technology to be used at