Launch of Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 for the 2025/26 season

When the German Football League (DFL) introduces Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 for the new soccer season, this will mark another significant step in the technical development of German professional soccer.

Special high-resolution cameras track the movements of players and the ball in real time and provide three-dimensional movement data for 21 points on each player´s body (e.g. head, shoulders, knees, etc.). Sportec Solutions combines the data from this optical tracking with its own Video Assistant Referee system (VAR) in the cloud. This improvement allows a fully automated and instant detection of potential punishable offside situations instantaneously, transmitting relevant data such as camera images, coordinates of the ball and players the VAR interface. 

Based on this information, the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is provided with a graphically supported decision-making aid from up to five different positions. The VAR can thus validate critical scenes without losing time and determine the correct moment of play from automatically suggested frames. Once the review is complete and confirmed, the VAR system automatically transfers the data back to the cloud, where it is used to generate 3D replay scenes that can be played back by TV broadcasters to resolve the scenes.

This process leads to an acceleration in decision-making speed in offside situations, reduces subjective interpretation, and increases transparency, objectivity, and efficiency in refereeing decisions.

The DFL made a conscious decision to take this development step together with Sportec Solutions AG and is thus not only setting an example of technological leadership in the international soccer business but is also meeting the increased demands for fairness and match control.