Premier League Eyes Spain’s Sensor‑Ball Trial

Premier League officials are keeping a close watch on Spain's top league, which has fitted a tiny sensor inside every match ball this season. The device records the exact instant the ball is struck, sending the signal to a set of antennas around the stadium.

The sensors are supplied by Kinexon Sports and placed inside Puma balls. About a dozen antennas pick up the signal and feed the data to analysts in real time.

In England, the league already relies on an optical system that uses up to thirty cameras to track the ball and players. That setup can tell when the ball is played, so a sensor inside the ball is not yet required.

Sensor‑enabled balls have already appeared in major events such as recent World Cups, Euro tournaments and the Club World Cup. A notable moment was the disallowed Croatian equaliser against Portugal, where the sensor showed an earlier touch. The Premier League says it will continue to observe the Spanish experiment as VAR technology evolves.