July 24: Prior to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Olympic football matches will kick off early. Today will see eight group stage matches for men’s football across four groups, with women’s football also starting tomorrow.
It is reported that both the men’s and women’s football tournaments at this year’s Paris Olympics will employ VAR (Video Assistant Referee) and semi-automated offside technology to assist referees in making decisions.
VAR was first used in an Olympic event at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Additionally, the new semi-automated offside technology will be implemented to quickly and accurately make offside calls. This technology has already been used in FIFA and UEFA club and international tournaments and will be introduced in the Premier League next season.
The main referee for the European Championship final, Mr. Lattisier, along with the first female referee in the Premier League, will travel to Paris, France, to officiate.
In the regulations for the Olympic football tournament, unlike the Copa America, if teams are level after 90 minutes in the knockout stages, they will proceed to two 15-minute halves of extra time, followed by a penalty shootout if still tied. In the group stage, drawn matches will simply end as a tie.
