FULHAM, January 4, 2026 – A last-minute offside call, determined by Semi-Automated Offside Technology, dramatically overturned a Florian Wirtz goal during fulham’s match against Liverpool, sparking fresh debate about the Premier League’s unique approach to VAR and the increasingly fine margins that decide games.
The Tightest of Calls: How 5 Centimeters Made All the Difference
The Premier League’s tolerance for offside decisions differs from othre major European leagues, leading to controversial outcomes.
- The Premier League utilizes a 5-centimeter tolerance level when determining offside, a departure from the millimeter-perfect measurements used in the UEFA Champions League and many other European leagues.
- Semi-automated Offside Technology (SAOT) is now used to judge offside positions, replacing the manual line-drawing process previously employed by human VARs.
- The human element remains crucial in SAOT reviews, as VARs can still adjust the “Kick Point” identified by the system.
- Similar SAOT tolerance level impacts have occurred in previous Premier League matches involving players like Bruno Guimarães and Gabriel Gudmundsson.
what initially appeared to be a legitimate goal – Wirtz neatly slotting the ball past bernd Leno in the 57th minute – was disallowed after assistant referee Lee Betts raised his flag. However, the decision wasn’t simply a visual judgment. It was confirmed by VAR, and established that Wirtz was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded. pic.twitter.com/AA3eq6pT9j
and established that Wirtz was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded.pic.twitter.com/AA3eq6pT9j
– Premier league Match Center (@PLMatchCentre) january 4,2026
A 5-Centimeter Difference
The Premier League employs SAOT technology from Genius Sports (also used in Belgium, Mexico, and Brazil), while the UEFA Champions League and many other european leagues utilize systems that measure offside positions to the millimeter. This seemingly small difference – a 5-centimeter tolerance level in the Premier League – can have a significant impact on outcomes.
The rationale behind this tolerance, according to sources, is to reduce the number of marginal offside calls against attacking players, potentially leading to more goals. In the Wirtz situation, the liverpool player fell within this “thicker” offside band under Premier League rules, deeming him onside. Had the match been played under UCL guidelines, with no tolerance, the goal would have been disallowed.
Despite the automation of SAOT, a human element remains.The system identifies the “Kick Point” – the precise moment the ball is played forward – but the VAR has the final say, able to request adjustments to the point by a micro-frame if they are not satisfied with the initial assessment. This discretion contributed to the extended review time in the Fulham match, as the VAR appeared hesitant about the initial recommendation.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Similar situations involving Bruno Guimarães before a Harvey Barnes goal for Newcastle United against Manchester City in November, and Gabriel Gudmundsson before a Lukas Nmecha goal for Leeds United against Aston Villa in the same month, demonstrate the impact of the SAOT tolerance level in the Premier League.
