Technology has been installed and tested in every stadium hosting Série A matches over an eight-month implementation process
Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) is set to make its debut in Brazilian football. Beginning on July 25 at 6:30 p.m. (BRT), the system will be used in the Brazilian Série A Championship, starting with Athletico-PR vs. Internacional at Arena da Baixada and Santos vs. Chapecoense at Vila Belmiro. The remaining eight matches of the 20th round will also feature SAOT.
Powered by GeniusIQ, Genius Sports’ AI and data platform, the technology will provide match officials with fast, accurate and efficient offside decisions.
In November 2025, during the inaugural meeting of the Brazilian Football Confederation’s (CBF) Refereeing Working Group, attended by representatives of clubs and state football associations, CBF President Samir Xaud confirmed that SAOT would be introduced for the 2026 season. Since then, 20 stadiums have been visited by technical teams from CBF and Genius Sports, the company responsible for providing the system across Brazilian football.
“When we committed to introducing Semi-Automated Offside Technology, we made it clear that modernizing refereeing would be one of the priorities of our administration. Today, after a rigorous process of planning, testing and training, we are delivering this technology to Brazilian football. It is an investment that brings the Brazilian Championship closer to the highest international standards while reinforcing our commitment to transparency, sporting fairness and the credibility of the competitions organized by CBF,” said Samir Xaud, President of CBF.
In addition to the 19 stadiums regularly used by Série A clubs, Arena Barueri has also been equipped with SAOT. Palmeiras will use the venue as its home stadium whenever Nubank Parque is unavailable to host official matches during the season.
“The implementation of Semi-Automated Offside Technology marks a historic milestone for Brazilian football. It represents a strategic investment by CBF in the modernization of refereeing, bringing the Brazilian Championship in line with the world’s leading competitions. Our goal is to provide even greater accuracy, transparency and confidence in on-field decisions, strengthening the competition’s credibility and offering more certainty for referees, players, clubs and fans,” said Netto Góes, Director of the CBF Refereeing Commission, who oversaw the entire implementation process.
Each stadium has been equipped with between 28 and 32 dedicated cameras, supported by five local servers that ensure system connectivity. The captured images are transmitted in real time to CBF’s Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Operations Center in Rio de Janeiro, which features 10 integrated control rooms equipped with both VAR and SAOT technologies.
Compared with other countries and territories that have already adopted the technology, CBF completed one of the fastest implementation processes ever undertaken. In Brazil, the project included technical inspections, installations, meetings, engineering assessments and an extensive series of tests in the 19 Série A stadiums, later expanded to 20 with the inclusion of Arena Barueri. The rollout also involved comprehensive training for referees, VAR officials and technical staff, as well as testing during official matches and simulated scenarios that validated the system before its debut in the Brazilian Championship.
“This is only one more step in a much broader transformation of Brazilian refereeing, involving technology, education, professionalization and innovation. From July 25 onward, we begin a new era for Brazilian football, reaffirming CBF’s commitment to excellence and to the continuous evolution of our sport,” Netto Góes added.
The new SAOT is powered by GeniusIQ which ingests billions of data points captured from the dedicated cameras in each stadium and then automatically identifies potential offside situations, selects the relevant attacking and defending players, and pinpoints the exact kick point before producing a 3D offside decision visual within seconds
The data captured by the system is transmitted to the VAR room, where it is combined with player-tracking information generated by cameras positioned throughout the stadium. The integration of these technologies enables more accurate analysis of offside situations and handball incidents.
“The implementation of Semi-Automated Offside Technology represents a major step forward for Brazilian football and reinforces CBF’s commitment to the continuous evolution of refereeing. This initiative, developed by the Refereeing Department, incorporates technological solutions designed to support referees in their decision-making process. Its primary objective is to deliver greater accuracy, transparency and speed in the analysis of offside situations, particularly the most complex ones, contributing to increasingly consistent decisions and strengthening the confidence of everyone involved in the game,” said Sandro Meira Ricci, Chairman of the CBF Refereeing Commission.
In addition to SAOT, Genius Sports also provides a player, referee and ball tracking system (tracking data), as well as Performance Studio, an advanced tactical and performance analysis platform. Genius Sports’ SAOT solution will be fully integrated with the VAR system already used in CBF competitions, which is operated by Hawk-Eye.
“CBF is one of the iconic organisations in world football and implementing our leading SAOT is a landmark moment for Genius Sports’ expansion in Brazil,” said Mark Locke, CEO of Genius Sports. “By deploying GeniusIQ, CBF have also put critical foundations in place to power a new era of Brazilian football across data-driven coaching tools, immersive broadcasts and enhanced sponsorship activations.”
