UEFA has announced that a chipped ball will be used at Euro 2024 in Germany next year to aid the semi-automated offside VAR decisions.
The move will also provide further tracking data for players, using the same technology that FIFA utilised for the World Cup in Qatar last year that proved Portugal’s opening goal against Uruguay was scored by Bruno Fernandes and not Cristiano Ronaldo.
The chip in the ball, which has been named “FUSSBALLLIEBE”, will ensure the semi-automated offside system will be more accurate than the one used in the Champions League, which instead relies on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect an offside player.
The chip in the ball will record data 500 times a second to distinguish when it has been kicked, while it should also provide a quicker experience for fans with the time needed to analyse an offside slashed from 70 seconds to 25. Fans will also be issued with a 3D animation that makes the decision visible.
A look inside the official match ball for #EURO2024 ????️⚽️@adidasfootball | #adidasNT pic.twitter.com/fhwDkwFN6F
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) November 15, 2023
A UEFA statement said: “German for ‘love of football’, FUSSBALLLIEBE features adidas Connected Ball Technology for the first time at a UEFA EURO – providing unprecedented insight into every element of the movement of the ball and contributing to UEFA’s video assistant refereeing decision-making process.”
While the semi-automated offside system is currently only used in the Champions League and Serie A among the major competitions, LaLiga has confirmed its intentions to introduce it next season while the Premier League clubs are reportedly in discussions over its potential use.
