Is VAR being used in the men’s and women’s soccer tournaments at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris?

The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has changed the face of soccer in the last few years, with all the world’s top competitions, including the Premier League, the Champions League and MLS, using the technology in an effort to make referees’ jobs easier. The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will be no different in both the men’s and women’s tournaments.

A total of 58 soccer matches will be played at seven different venues around France, all of which will be equipped with the technology required by VAR. Of the 89 referees who have been appointed for the tournament, 20 are video match officials who will only work with the VAR system.

This will be the second time VAR technology is used at the Olympics after the 2020 Games, which were held in Tokyo in 2021 (due to the covid-19 pandemic).

Semi-automated offsides used at the 2024 Olympics: how does it work?

In addition to VAR, semi-automated offside technology will also be used, as has already been seen in FIFA and UEFA club and international tournaments.

The technology uses numerous data points to track the position of each player on the field at all times, along with multiple tracking cameras and a sensor inside the ball which detect the moment when a pass is made. An offside position can then be determined semi-automatically and, more importantly, quickly.

The Premier League has also voted to introduced semi-automated offsides from the start of the 2024/25 season.

2024 Olympics soccer format

16 teams will take part in the men’s group phase, with 12 in the women’s. Eight will progress in each tournament to the quarterfinals, which will be followed by semfinals, bronze and gold medal games. The men’s final will be played at the Parc des Princes on Friday, August 9, with the women’s final coming on Saturday, August 10 at the same venue.