The Calcutta Football League (CFL) is set to become the first league in India to embrace Advanced Refereeing Technology (ART), through a project in collaboration with Jadavpur University.
As revealed by the IFA Secretary Anirban Dutta, the technology will be used in the Super Six division of the Calcutta Football League. With the ISL and I-League yet to embrace VAR for offsides or handball, the CFL is already making significant progress by using their collaboration to first determine whether a goal has been scored through goal-line technology.
Calcutta Football League to receive Advanced Refereeing Technology boost
Calcutta Football League (CFL) is all set to become the first league in India to implement goal-line technology. 🥅
— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) August 30, 2024
The Indian Football Association (IFA-WB) and Jadavpur University are collaborating together for the Advanced Referring Technology (ART) 👏
The ART will cost only… pic.twitter.com/hTMNkPHkBx
“We signed an MOU with JU four months ago. This tech is also viable because the cost is quite low, unlike VAR. Just four cameras and a laptop will suffice for it. Overall, it should not exceed more than Rs 2 lakh rupees. This is the first work related to football done by Jadavpur University. JU’s Institute Innovation Council is the brainchild behind this project. We hope to use it in phase two, where offsides and penalty decisions come into play,” said IFA Secretary Anirban Dutta.
The quality of officiating could receive a massive boost if the trials are successful with the technology. The low cost of implementation should also make it a viable option to scale up if the AIFF cannot bring in VAR for the senior leagues.
Notoriously, the Spanish LaLiga still operates without goal-line technology, while retaining the use of VAR for other decisions.
