Soccer-FIFA confident about semi-automated VAR for World Cup

FIFA are confident semi-automated technology to assist with quicker Video Assistant Referee decisions could be ready for the World Cup in Qatar later this year, world football's governing body president Gianni Infantino said on Monday. Possible use of body cameras by referees to deter possible attacks was also discussed, he said.

FIFA is confident semi-automated technology to assist with quicker Video Assistant Referee decisions could be ready for the World Cup in Qatar later this year, world football's governing body president Gianni Infantino said on Monday. Trials on AI technology will continue in the coming months but Infantino said there was significant progress.

He was speaking after a meeting of the International Football Association Board, which controls the Laws of the Game, where the use of five substitutes was ratified and other tweaks to the laws discussed. The possible use of body cameras by referees to deter possible attacks was also discussed, he said. (Writing by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Christian Radnedge)