Semi-automatic offside technology is coming to the Bundesliga

The technical aid is intended to ensure that controversial offside decisions in the Bundesliga can be made much more quickly. On average, 30 seconds should be saved during checks. At the World Cup, twelve cameras under the stadium roofs and a sensor in the ball immediately delivered data to the video review room, from where the video referee informed the referee on the field.

Kircher also stated that he was open to more transparency regarding interventions by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). “Discussions are ongoing regarding the stadium announcements and there are intensive considerations. And we would be prepared for a possible pilot phase in the second half of the season. We also have to wait for FIFA’s findings: How is it received and does the technology work properly? Of course, they can’t let our referees down.” It must be ensured that the decisive images are shown on the video boards directly and “not three minutes later,” said the former top referee from Rottenburg.

The 55-year-old is critical of the possible introduction of a limited number of coaching challenges per half or game in order to reduce VAR interventions. “The trainer challenge creates false expectations. Namely that the referee has to reverse his decision after a challenge. Of course the challenge exists in other sports, maybe it will come to us at some point,” explained Kircher.