The Premier League has decided to postpone the introduction of the semi-automated Video Assistant Referee (VAR) offside technology (SAOT) until 2025, citing the need for further system testing. Initially, Premier League clubs had unanimously agreed to implement SAOT ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
SAOT is designed to expedite offside checks, potentially reducing the average time for decisions by 31 seconds. The league had originally planned to introduce the technology after one of the Autumn international breaks, with October being the likely target.
However, after a Premier League shareholders’ meeting on September 26, it was confirmed that SAOT is not ready for deployment. This delay raises doubts about whether the system will be introduced during the current season, which ends in June 2025.
The semi-automated system aims to replace the manual process of drawing lines to check offsides, offering faster and more accurate decisions. It is also expected to provide enhanced visual representations of offside calls, surpassing the current method of displaying lines on broadcast feeds.
