Revolution in Brazilian refereeing: Semi-automated offside coming to Brasileirão and Copa do Brasil!
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is on the verge of inaugurating a new era in national football officiating. The highly anticipated semi-automated offside technology, known as SAOT, will see its definitive implementation starting in the second half of this year, promising greater speed and precision in on-field decisions. Currently, activities are focused at the VAR Hub in Rio de Janeiro, where referees and assistants are working on integrating the tool with the video system.
Cutting-edge technology serving football
The integration between VAR and SAOT is a crucial step towards optimizing refereeing work. With the technology already in use in European and Mexican leagues, Brazil is investing approximately R$ 25 million to ensure greater transparency and sporting fairness. The objective is clear: reduce errors and speed up match flow, providing a fairer experience for players, clubs, and fans.
Training and challenges for referees
The Director of the CBF’s Refereeing Committee, Netto Góes, emphasizes the importance of training. “All stages are being met for the proper use of the technology. At this moment, referees and assistants are getting acquainted with the entire concept and operation of the project,” he stated. Even those who will not have direct contact with the tool initially will be trained, demonstrating the entity’s commitment to the evolution of the entire refereeing staff.
Péricles Bassols, VAR Technical Manager, highlighted the adaptation phase: “It’s a moment of integration between technologies, but one where we are bringing referees up to speed on the procedures and processes that will be necessary on a game day, under pressure.”
How does semi-automated offside work?
FIFA‘s technology uses 16 high-performance cameras to track the position of the ball and players in real-time, collecting 29 data points for each athlete. In cases of doubt, the system sends automatic alerts to the video referees (VARs) for a quick review. The advanced system can also emit an audible signal directly to the on-field referee, further speeding up decision-making. After confirmation, a 3D animation will be generated for public display.
With this innovation, the Brazilian Serie A and the Copa do Brasil promise to be more dynamic and fair, reinforcing Brazilian football’s commitment to modernity and excellence.
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