The 2026 World Cup will mark a historic first for international football, as semi-automated offside technology makes its tournament debut. The system relies on a dozen cameras strategically positioned around the pitch to track player movement in real time, providing officials with instant data on positioning. This new tool is designed to reduce the lengthy delays and subjective judgment calls that have long plagued offside decisions in major competitions.
Canadian referee Micheal Barwegan, who is part of an all-Canadian officiating crew at the tournament, has firsthand experience with the technology. He notes that the