From 10cm Alerts to AI Avatars: FIFA’s VAR Overhaul for the 2026 World Cup

FIFA will introduce semi-automated offside technology at the 2026 World Cup, sending real-time audio alerts to assistants when a player is just 10cm offside. This replaces the older system, which only notified officials at 50cm, and aims to speed up decisions without removing human oversight. The assistant referee still decides when to raise the flag and can override the system if they spot a glitch. FIFA has built in multiple failsafe measures, though challenges remain when players are on the ground or tightly clustered. In a further upgrade, every one of the 1,248 players will be scanned to create AI-driven 3D avatars. These lifelike models will power clearer offside animations and help reduce match delays and potential injuries when flags come up late.

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