Genius Sports and Mediapro Bring Semi-Automated Offside Technology to CONMEBOL Finals

Genius Sports has entered a strategic partnership with media heavyweight Mediapro to deploy its Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) during two of South America’s biggest football events: the Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores finals. The launch underlines the growing global influence of AI-powered officiating tools and represents a key step in modernising VAR procedures across high-stakes South American competitions.

At the heart of Genius Sports’ SAOT system is a network of computer-vision cameras installed in the stadiums, which feed high-frequency tracking data into its AI platform, GeniusIQ. This system captures thousands of data points from every player, enabling the AI to detect exactly when a pass is made (the “kick point”) and automatically identify when an attacker is in an offside position. The precision with which it tracks players’ positions obviates the need for manual line-drawing and allows for alerts to be sent directly to the VAR team as potential offsides are flagged.

Once an offside risk is detected, GeniusIQ generates a 3D visualisation of the offside plane - a vertical curtain showing where the offending player’s relevant body part lies relative to defenders. This graphic is broadcast-ready and can be shared with on-field referees, broadcast producers, and stadium screens, helping to explain decisions in a visually clear, accurate, and fast way.

The pairing of Genius Sports and Mediapro signals serious ambition: by combining strong media reach with sophisticated AI officiating, the partnership promises not just faster and fairer decisions but also heightened transparency for fans. For match officials, the system’s real-time alerts and visual reconstructions aim to streamline decision-making, reducing the cognitive load and potential human error at critical moments.

For viewers, the ability to see a 3D representation of the offside decision in near real time can transform how controversial calls are understood. Instead of slow pace, drawn-out arguments, fans could get immediate clarity - with graphics that show exactly who was offside, and by how much.

While Genius Sports has already pioneered SAOT in other markets, this deployment in CONMEBOL’s pinnacle matches cements its role as a global standard-bearer in AI officiating. The collaboration with Mediapro not only validates the system’s value in elite-level games but also promises to bring a new level of officiating confidence and broadcast sophistication. As the Copa Sudamericana and Libertadores finals draw global attention, this rollout could become a blueprint for further adoption across Latin America and beyond.