Artificial intelligence is penetrating all spheres. Sports are no exception. In refereeing, AI already helps determine offside, simulations, even roughness. In 2026, at the World Cup, AI assistants will be used for the first time. We tell you how it works, what it gives, and whether AI can completely replace a human. How AI helps the referee The semi-automatic offside system: cameras track 29 points on a player's body. AI calculates the moment of the pass and the position of players in fractions of a second. The result is displayed on the referee's screen. Simulation detection: analysis of the player's movements (how fast they fall, does it match the contact). AI has learned from thousands of examples. Prediction: the neural network predicts where the ball will go and suggests possible positions of players. Violations: AI notices a tackle without the ball, handball, even rough verbal abuse (analysis of lip movements). Important: AI only recommends, the decision is up to a human. Advantages of AI in refereeing ... Read more