VAR change that will impact Leeds United, Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal - and is on trial at World Cup

Premier League officials are pushing for the introduction of new VAR technology after a successful trial at this year’s Champions League, according to reports, with the decision set to potentially impact Leeds United.

The system involves semi-automated offsides which will make decisions almost instantly with delays of only 0.5 seconds. It has been trialled during the UEFA Champions League campaign, and the English top-flight are said to be eager to implement it.

Football fans were first introduced to the new tech when it famously disallowed a Chelsea equalising goal in their defeat to Dinamo Zagreb on 6 September. The Blues’ new forward Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang was denied a debut delight after the system correctly judged Ben Chilwell as offside in the build-up.

The new automated VAR changes have also been used at the World Cup, which is ongoing in Qatar at the moment. But what is the technology and how does it work? What are the chances that it will be implemented in the Premier League and when? Here is everything you need to know.

How does the new VAR offside technology work?

The new software works by sending an automated alert to a VAR official which will detect whenever a player is offside. This is achieved through the use of tracking technology and artificial intelligence (AI) which makes decisions almost instantly.

It uses 12 cameras dotted around the stadium to track the ball and player during play, using AI to monitor the player’s bodies using a skeletal tracking system. On-field officials will receive the notification via their wrist watch. However, VAR officials will still be required to verify the alerts, but the hope is to bring an end to frenzied goal celebrations before it is ruled out for offside.

What are the chances that it will be introduced in the Premier League?

In order for it to be introduced, it must be voted on by every single team in the English top-flight division. This vote is expected to take place following the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Reports suggest that officials at a majority of Premier League clubs see it as a big improvement on the current VAR systems in place. However, there will be a cost implication in implementing the new software as only nine clubs already have basic Hawkeye infrastructure, which would make its implementation easier.

The teams are Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Arsenal, Southampton, Brighton and Nottingham Forest.

When will the new VAR technology be introduced in the Premier League?

As voting on the new VAR changes will take place following the World Cup, which ends in December 2022, there is no chance it will be implemented during the ongoing 2022/2023 Premier League campaign. If they vote in favour of its introduction, then reports suggest it will be added as early as next season.