FIFA, VAR officials, World Cup referees
2 June 2026
FIFA will use advanced semi-automated offside technology at the World Cup, with real-time alerts helping assistants raise flags faster. The system will notify officials when a player is more than 10 centimetres offside during positional calls.
The change is designed to reduce long delayed-flag passages and lower injury risk from needless play. FIFA will also use AI-enabled player avatars, ball-tracking checks for out-of-play calls and tools for line-of-sight offside decisions.