Offside technology and AI to reshape Spanish refereeing for 2026–27 season
LaLiga and the RFEF will introduce chip-in-ball offside technology and AI-driven referee evaluation, overhauling observer roles and appointments for 2026–27.
LaLiga and RFEF approve chip-in-ball offside technology
Spanish football authorities have agreed to replace the current Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) with a chip embedded in the match ball to determine offside automatically. The move, set for the 2026–27 Primera and Segunda División seasons, is intended to speed up decision-making and reduce human error in marginal offside calls.
Officials from LaLiga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) coordinated the plan with the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) to align competition rules and operational logistics. Fran Soto, who heads the CTA, will oversee the technical rollout to ensure integration with existing match systems.
The chip-in-ball approach shifts emphasis from tracking player-mounted sensors to ball-based telemetry, allowing a single reference point to be used in offside calculations. Proponents say the change will produce more consistent outcomes and make the process more transparent to clubs and fans.
Concerns remain about implementation details, including calibration, broadcast integration and the handling of complex phases of play where offside rulings are debated. The authorities have scheduled controlled trials and staged training sessions ahead of full deployment to iron out technical and procedural issues.
AI to evaluate referees and influence appointments
A central pillar of the reforms is the formal introduction of artificial intelligence to evaluate referee performance and feed into designation criteria. AI tools will process video footage, event data and contextual markers to generate objective metrics that complement human assessments.
Those metrics are expected to be used when ranking referees, informing promotions and shaping end-of-season decisions that previously relied heavily on observer reports. The CTA’s intention is not to replace human judgment but to add consistency and reduce subjective variance across evaluations.
David Fernández Borbalán and members of the CTA have historically led referee monitoring efforts, and the new model will combine their expertise with algorithmic analysis. The evaluation parameters—such as positioning, decision latency and handling of disciplinary incidents—will be defined jointly by the CTA, LaLiga and the RFEF.
Transparency around AI scores and the weight assigned to algorithmic output will be a focus for stakeholders, including referees’ unions and clubs seeking clarity on how appointments are determined. Officials have committed to publishing procedural guides and training materials to explain how AI factors into final assessments.
‘Field coach’ replaces many stadium-based observers
Beginning in 2026–27, the traditional stadium observer role will be streamlined and rebranded as the "field coach," a title reflecting a broader advisory remit rather than a purely evaluative function. The field coach will still attend selected matches but their numbers will be reduced compared with the current cohort of about 50 former referees and assistants.
The shift responds to a strategic decision to concentrate on developmental coaching and in-person support while delegating routine evaluation tasks to remote systems and TV-based observers. Field coaches will focus on preparatory briefings, post-match debriefs and mentoring that supports referees’ season-long progression.
In-stadium responsibilities that go beyond technical refereeing—such as reporting incidents in the stands, racially aggravated abuse or security-related matters—will remain a component of the field coach’s role. However, many of the checklist-style evaluations will be handled remotely, freeing coaches to concentrate on constructive feedback.
League and federation officials stress that reducing stadium presence does not diminish oversight; instead, it reallocates human resources toward quality improvement and education. The field coach model aims to create a clearer distinction between coaching for development and formal adjudication of season-end outcomes.
TV Observer and Assistant Observer roles expanded
A parallel expansion will place greater weight on "TV Observers," who will evaluate referees and assistants from broadcast feeds rather than from the touchline. These remote observers—drawn from former referees and assistants—will analyze matches with the benefit of multiple camera angles, slow motion and balance of replay evidence.
The restructure also introduces a dedicated "Assistant Observer" whose remit is to scrutinize the performance of the assistant referees specifically. This role acknowledges the growing importance of offside and line decisions in game outcomes and provides a focused channel for assessing touchline judgments.
TV Observers and Assistant Observers will produce standardized reports that feed directly into the AI-assisted evaluation pipeline and the CTA’s designation process. The combination of live-stadium coaching and remote technical observation is designed to create a complementary oversight ecosystem.
By increasing reliance on televised review, the CTA expects to capture a fuller, more accurate picture of match incidents, especially those that are difficult to judge in real time at pitchside. Observers working from broadcast centers will be supported by dedicated replay tools and access to sensor data, including the new chip-in-ball telemetry.
New oversight unit led by Javier Turienzo Álvarez
To manage the expanded remote evaluation program, the CTA will form a new specialist unit led by Javier Turienzo Álvarez, who previously held responsibility for referees in Primera División. Turienzo will head a team integrating former match officials, data analysts and technologists.
The unit’s brief includes coordinating AI model development, harmonizing human and machine assessments and overseeing training programs for both field coaches and TV Observers. Officials say the new structure is intended to professionalize observation work and provide clearer career pathways for ex-officials entering evaluative roles.
Turienzo’s appointment signals a shift toward centralized oversight and operational consistency across Spain’s top divisions. The unit will also interface with LaLiga’s broadcast and data teams to ensure that the technical infrastructure—such as ball telemetry and replay platforms—operates smoothly.
Members of the refereeing community have welcomed the idea of a dedicated body but called for careful phasing and consultation to protect due process for officials under review. The CTA has committed to a transitional calendar that allows stakeholders to adapt to new evaluation modalities before they carry full weight.
Phased rollout, training and legal safeguards
Authorities plan a phased rollout that begins with pilot events and controlled implementation in pre-season fixtures before full adoption in official competition matches. Pilot phases are intended to test not only the technology but also the governance arrangements around data use, privacy and appeals.
Referees and observers will undergo training on the AI metrics, the interpretation of chip telemetry and the protocols that govern remote observation. The CTA will provide detailed guidelines on how observational evidence is collected, stored and applied to decisions that affect appointments and promotions.
Legal and union safeguards are also part of the agenda, with the federation confirming that procedures for challenging evaluations and requesting clarifications will remain in place. Officials stressed that algorithmic outputs will not be the sole determinant of any disciplinary or career-impacting outcome.
Communication with clubs, broadcasters and fans will form another pillar of the rollout, as federations seek to explain how new systems aim to increase consistency and reduce contentious incidents. The CTA has earmarked public briefings and demonstration sessions to build confidence in the new processes.
The introduction of chip-in-ball offside technology and AI-assisted evaluation marks a major modernization of Spanish refereeing that balances technological precision with human oversight. As LaLiga, the RFEF and the CTA implement trials and train officials, the reforms aim to speed decisions, professionalize observation and create a clearer, more objective system for referee assessment in the 2026–27 season.
