November 7 – FIFA has teamed up with Hawk-Eye Innovations to establish the Football Technology Centre AG, a joint venture aimed at advancing tech solutions in football, particularly through the development of algorithms that automate in-game event detection.
The initiative is designed to research ways of enhancing the precision and speed of decision-making processes, supporting match officials with real-time data. FIFA led the way with the introduction of Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT), debuted at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
A core focus of the collaboration is the development of that same automated offside technology – delivering instant, consistent, and accurate offside information to streamline decision – making for positional offside incidents.
“This joint venture is just another example of the extent to which FIFA is harnessing the use of technology to optimise football operations and to play a leading role in technological developments for the benefit of our 211 member associations,” said FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström.
“It will have a positive impact across football as it will help to automate the provision of valuable information, facilitate decision-making processes and ultimately improve the football experience for all stakeholders.”
Beyond offside calls, the Football Technology Centre will explore a range of automated data collection tools and emerging technologies to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of football operations. These solutions are intended to be accessible to the wider football community, providing a “significant resource for global improvements” in match officiating and operations.
Rufus Hack, Chief Executive Officer at Hawk-Eye, said: “We’re incredibly proud to collaborate with FIFA on this joint venture, to continue creating innovative solutions that will make the beautiful game more understandable, precise, fair, and exciting for everyone at all levels of football.
“The creation of the Football Technology Centre is a natural evolution of our relationship with FIFA and will leverage technology and AI to pave the way for the future of football officiating, performance and fan engagement.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1731040218labto1731040218ofdlr1731040218owedi1731040218sni@g1731040218niwe.1731040218yrrah1731040218
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