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Tag: IFAB

  • Upgraded semi-automated offside VAR on course for use at Qatar World Cup

    The introduction of Artificial Intelligence-driven semi-automated VAR offside technology remains on course to be used at the World Cup in Qatar.

    That is the message from The International Football Association Board (The IFAB), the organisation that determines the laws of football.

    Offside decisions using VAR have been taking up to four minutes, with the technology aiming to cut the decision down to three or four seconds by providing faster information.

    Chelsea were the first English Premier League (EPL) side to experience the technology during the FIFA Club World Cup in February.

    This was just two months after the initial semi-automated system made its debut.

    The IFAB continues in its discussions with FIFA as to the implementation of the upgraded VAR system, with the aim to utilise the offside technology at the upcoming World Cup in November.

    “It looks very good and very promising,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino told a news conference on Monday.

    “Our experts are looking into [the trials] before we take a decision on whether it will be used for the World Cup or not.”

    FIFA’s head of refereeing Pierluigi Collina, added: “My personal opinion is that I’m very confident we can go ahead with this.

    “We want to achieve accuracy, quicker decisions, also more accepted decisions.

    “We have seen in matches where the semi-automated offside was implemented (and) these objectives were achieved.

    “It uses the same process as goal-line technology, and we have seen (that) that is very well accepted by the football community. Nobody comments on this.

    “We are confident that the same reaction, in terms of acceptance, can be given to the semi-automated offside.”

    The Premier League in England is expected to introduce the technology, if successful at the World Cup, in the 2023/2024 season.

    Trials are also in the works to give attacking players the advantage in offside situations, with Collina revealing the rules are under consideration.

    “We are considering that a very marginal offside is not that relevant to be punished in modern football,” Collina added.

    “So, we are running this experiment. Unfortunately, the competitions where these trials were allowed were suspended or abandoned for almost two years due to the pandemic.

    “So, now we have tests going on in [youth football] in the Netherlands, in Italy and in Sweden and certainly we will come to conclusions once we have evidence and figures from these trials.”

    The IFAB also confirmed it was investigating how to reduce time-wasting, with the ball usually in action for just 54 minutes of a 90-minute match.

  • 5 substitutions made permanent in football

    5 substitutions made permanent in football

    Football teams can continue to use five substitutes per game as the rule was made permanent by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its assembly on Monday.

    The rule makers also said at their meeting in the World Cup host nation of Qatar that the number of substitutes on a team sheet can rise from 12 to 15.

    Using five substitutes instead of three started as a temporary measure in 2020 amid fixture congestion when football restarted during the coronavirus.

    It was extended several times before now being made permanent amid “strong support from the entire football community”.

    Coaches presently have three slots during a match, plus half-time, to make substitutions.

    It has been used in most major leagues since 2020, although England’s Premier League went back to three substitutions last season.

    However, its clubs have agreed on five for 2022/2023.

    The assembly also got an update on semi-automated offside technology to assist referees and their assistants.

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino and their referees Chief, Pierluigi Collina, spoke positively about the camera-based technology which may be used at the Qatar World Cup.

    “It looks very good and promising. Our experts will look at it before we make a decision whether to use it at the World Cup or not,” Infantino said of the technology trialled at the Arab Cup and Club World Cup.

    Collina said they were not a hurry because “we want to be sure that it works perfectly.”

    In other decisions, the IFAB extended tests of additional permanent concussion substitutions until 2023, preferring this over temporary substitutions.

    Kick-ins instead of throw-ins, referees explaining key decisions during games, and fairer playing time were also discussed and according tests would require permission from IFAB and FIFA.

    The assembly meanwhile also approved tests with body-cams for referees in grassroots games to better protect officials.

    “It can not happen on any pitch in the world that players who are parents attack the referee,” Infantino said.

  • 5 substitutes rule to be extended to 2020-2021 season

    5 substitutes rule to be extended to 2020-2021 season

    Football’s rule-making body IFAB on Wednesday said teams would be allowed to continue to use up to five substitutes next season.

    IFAB, the International Football Association Board had agreed to a temporary change to allow teams to use five substitutes, rather than the usual three in May to “protect player welfare” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “…the IFAB Board of Directors has extended the option to competitions, scheduled to be completed by 31 July 2021 and to international competitions, scheduled in July/August 2021,” the body said in a statement.

    IFAB said the decision on whether to apply this temporary amendment remains at the discretion of each competition organiser.

    Each team will only have three chances to make substitutions, although changes made at halftime are not counted as one of the three opportunities.