FIFA has confirmed it will deploy upgraded semi-automated offside technology for the 2026 World Cup, with the system designed to deliver faster decisions and allow assistant referees to act without waiting for a phase of play to conclude.

The key change is a real-time audio alert that will be sent directly to the assistant referee whenever a player is more than 10cm offside. Earlier versions of the technology — trialled at the Club World Cup and the Intercontinental Cup — only triggered a notification when a player was more than 50cm offside, a far wider margin.

A direct response to dangerous delays

The decision to tighten the threshold reflects growing concern over the risks created when assistant referees hold their flags during attacking moves. In May 2025, Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi was placed in an induced coma after colliding with a goalpost while an assistant delayed raising an offside flag — an incident that intensified calls for reform.

FIFA hopes the new system will reduce player injuries and ease the frustration felt by supporters when needless passages of play continue before an inevitable flag is raised.

The assistant referee retains full authority over when to raise the flag and halt play. Officials may keep the flag down if they suspect a technical malfunction, though FIFA states that multiple failsafe mechanisms are built into the system to minimise the risk of errors.

Limitations remain

The technology is not without its boundaries. It cannot detect the tightest offside calls, and its accuracy is reduced when players are on the ground or grouped closely together. Crucially, it applies only to positional offside decisions — not to subjective interpretations, such as whether a player has interfered with an opponent without making physical contact.

AI avatars for every player

FIFA also confirmed that lifelike, AI-enabled 3D avatars will be created for all 1,248 players across the 48 squads of 26 at the tournament. Each player will step into a scanning chamber during their pre-tournament photo shoot, a process that takes approximately one second and needs to be completed only once.

These digital scans will power enhanced offside animations, producing clearer and more accurate visual representations of offside calls for broadcast and in-stadium display during the 2026 World Cup.