FIFA has announced that it will use AI-powered cameras to help referees make offside calls at the 2022 World Cup. According to Sky sports, the technology will work in such a way that an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor will be placed inside the ball. This sensor, positioned in the centre of the ball, sends ball data to the video operation room 500 times per second, allowing a very precise detection of the kick point.
It is expected that the new technology will use 12 dedicated tracking cameras mounted underneath the roof of the stadium to track the ball and up to 29 data points of each individual player, 50 times per second, calculating their exact position on the pitch.
The technology which was successfully tested at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup and at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup – will see video match officials receive offside alerts, with decisions validated manually before being communicated to the on-field referee.
Stressing that humans — not “robots” — were still in charge of the game, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina said the aim of the new system was to make officials make quicker, more accurate decisions.
The FIFA World Cup kicks off in Qatar on Monday November 21 at the Al Thumama Stadium while the knock-out stage begins on Saturday December 3. The final will be played at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
