• FIFA reveals new semi-automated offside system for the 2026 World Cup
• Real-time audio alerts will notify assistants when players are 10cm offside
• AI-powered 3D avatars of all 1,248 players to improve decision accuracy
• New ball-tracking technology to determine if ball crossed line before goals
• ‘Line-of-sight’ virtual feeds added to help VAR judge goalkeeper interference

Football fans may soon say goodbye to frustrating late offside flags. FIFA has revealed new technology for the 2026 World Cup that aims to speed up decisions and protect players from injury.

The governing body will introduce an improved semi-automated offside system for Video Assistant Referees (VAR). This system sends instant audio alerts to assistant referees when attackers stand more than 10 centimetres offside. Previous tests at the Club World Cup only warned officials about offsides greater than 50 centimetres.

Match officials will keep full control over when to stop play and raise their flags. They can delay the signal if they believe the technology has malfunctioned. However, FIFA insists that strong safety features exist to prevent errors. The system still cannot detect very tight offsides, and it struggles when players lie on the ground or cluster together. It only judges position, not subjective decisions like interfering with play without touching the ball.

The changes follow a serious incident in May 2025. Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi went into an induced coma after crashing into a goalpost. The assistant referee had waited too long to raise the flag during the attack.

FIFA also plans to create lifelike 3D models of every player using artificial intelligence. All 1,248 footballers from the 48 squads will enter a scanning booth for one second during their pre-tournament photo shoot. This will produce clearer animations explaining offside decisions to fans.

Additionally, new systems will check if the ball left the pitch before a goal. This follows a disputed incident in February when Aston Villa had a strike disallowed against Brentford. A chip inside the ball will show exactly who touched it last. This helps VAR verify corner kick decisions.

FIFA has also improved ‘Real-time 3D Recreation’ for judging ‘line-of-sight’ offsides. Two virtual camera angles will replicate the view from both goalkeepers. This gives VAR teams extra help when deciding if attackers blocked the keeper’s sight.