FIFA World Cup 2026 technical upgrade: Instant offside alerts, AI avatars and new VAR tools

FIFA is improving offside calls at the 2026 World Cup with advanced semi-automatic VAR technology that provides real-time audio alerts for faster decision-making. (Photo/Agency) Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the game’s governing body has introduced a new, advanced semi-automated system for video assistant referees (VARs) to make offside decisions more quickly. This will give the assistant referees relief as they can raise the offside flag before the move takes place.As part of the new setup, assistant referees will receive a real-time audio alert on their headset when a player is more than 10cm offside – an improvement on the previous 50cm limit used during trials at the Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup.The linesman still decides when to raise the flag and stop play. If they suspect there is a bug in the new system, they can leave the flag down.The technology still can’t pick out the closest offside challenges and there are limitations if players are in crowded situations. VARs will still rule on marginal wins, crowded situations and subjective offside cases.This technology will be useful for positional offside challenges. “In terms of positional offside, the information was sent directly to the assistant referee via the audible warning – and he could raise the flag. So we really didn’t have any longer delays for positional offside.” FIFA’s director of innovation, Johannes Holzmueller, said during a trial of the system at the Club World Cup.FIFA hopes to remove the frustration felt by fans and players and reduce the chances of injury due to unnecessary passages of play when a player is offside.In May 2025, Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi was put into an induced coma after colliding with the goalpost during a Premier League match against Leicester City, a horrific incident that occurred because the assistant delayed raising the offside flag as required by VAR protocol. Football’s governing body does not want such incidents on the biggest stage.FIFA has confirmed it will create realistic 3D avatars with artificial intelligence for every player at the tournament – all 1,248 of the 26-man teams from the 48 competing nations.Each player will enter a scanning chamber during a pre-tournament photo session where they will undergo a one-second full-body scan that captures accurate body measurements. It will provide improved and clearer offside animations in the upcoming World Cup.

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FIFA to introduce new ‘Out of Bounds’ and ‘Line of Sight’ technologyFIFA has also approved technology that can determine whether the ball has crossed the touchline or by-line before a goal is scored, which was necessary because Aston Villa did not have a goal in a Premier League game against Brentford in February this year and it was unclear whether the ball had ended up offside. Japan’s goal against Germany in a group stage match at the last World Cup was also ruled out due to a sloppy call.FIFA also expanded “real-time 3D recreation” to make “line-of-sight” offside decisions quicker and clearer and to assist referees on the pitch.Two virtual channels will be available for VAR and TV viewers to replicate the views of both goalkeepers, another technological improvement to the game that fans can see at this year’s World Cup.