Football Refereeing

Football refereeing is undergoing a transformation driven by AI, aiming to improve the accuracy and fairness of decisions. Research focuses on developing automated video assistant referee (VAR) systems using multi-view video analysis and large language models to interpret game footage and provide explanations for decisions, often benchmarking against human referee performance. These advancements, along with explorations of robust radar-based localization for tracking players and the ball, have the potential to enhance officiating at all levels of the sport, from professional leagues to amateur games. Furthermore, research into efficient algorithms for evaluating the performance of these AI systems is crucial for ensuring their reliability and widespread adoption.