Arsene Wenger Says Offside Calls Will Be 'Automated' At 2022 World Cup In Drastic Change

Arsene Wenger has claimed offside calls could be "automated" for the 2022 World Cup.

As part of his role as FIFA's chief of global football development, Wenger has been looking at improving the beautiful game with a number of changes.

Rather controversially, the former Arsenal boss is advocating for a World Cup every two years.

But in addition, the 71-year-old is also placing great focus on offside decisions and believes a major revamp is coming ahead of the next World Cup in Qatar.

Image: PA

"We must continue to progress in the speed of decision-making, particularly in terms of offside," Wenger told reporters, as per The Mirror.

"In 2022 at the World Cup, we'll be much better able to make very quick offside decisions.

"And it will stop the game less because that is what the VAR can be faulted with.

"There is a real emotional lift, but after that you have to know if you want fair decisions or not.

"There is a good chance that the offside will be automated at the 2022 World Cup.

"I am bound to secrecy, but this will be the next of the big developments in refereeing."

The process would be the next step following on from the introduction of VAR.

In recent times, tweaks have been made to the offside laws in order to clamp down on goals being disallowed for attackers' armpits and toenails being ahead of the last defender.

Image: PA

Wenger has been very vocal about leaning on technology so that those running the line will get a signal telling them if it is offside or not.

Explaining the process on Fifa's Living Football vodcast earlier this year, Wenger said: "The average time we have to wait for a decision is around 70 seconds, sometimes 1 min 20 secs, sometimes a little bit longer when the situation is very difficult to appreciate.

"But with this system, there is an automatic signal to the linesman, via a watch he wears with a red light to tell him if it is offside or not.

"The semi-automated goes first to the VAR who signals it to the linesman.

"I'm pushing very hard to have the automated offsides, which means straight away the signal goes to the linesman and I think it will be ready for 2022."

Meanwhile, Wenger is making a return to the dugout in the coming months for charity fixtures - including a game against Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain in Saudi Arabia in January.

Topics: Arsene Wenger, FIFA, Football World Cup

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

@joshlawless_