How soccer will change over the next decade

The basic premise of the sport has remained the same since it was first invented back in 19th century England. Many other versions of the game have forked off what is now known as “association football” or “soccer”, including rugby football, American football and Australian rules football. 

Although it is similar, the rules of soccer have undergone some changes over the years. Penalties were added in 1891, penalty shoot-outs in 1970. Corners became a thing in 1872, but players couldn’t score directly from a corner kick until 1924. While goalkeepers didn’t wear a different coloured shirt until 1909, referees didn’t become a thing until 1871. 

Rule changes still happen today. In the last five years, leagues and international tournaments have begun using goal-line technology and video assistant referees (VAR) to help reduce incorrect calls. Additionally, financial fair-play rules have been designed to prevent wealthy clubs from buying their success. 

Rule changes aren’t the only way the sport has changed. Commercial agreements have brought in sponsors, TV broadcasting, and video games. This has helped fans get closer to the sport and increased the professionalism of the clubs and players. 

It’s clear then; football is constantly in a transient state as internal and external factors change the way the game is played, officiated and consumed. We should, therefore, assume the sport will continue to evolve in the future. Here are some of the ways that could happen. 

Sports Betting

Sportsbook and online casino brands like Betsson Peru have invested heavily in football, sponsoring clubs and leagues in an attempt to get their name in front of fans. Online sports betting is a growing industry and currently accounts for 40% of all wagering that takes place online. 

We’re likely to see more of this for the foreseeable future as brands compete hard to gain market share over their rivals. 

Premflix

In 1992, the Premier League in England started a revolution in football. It showed just how much money could be made from selling TV rights for games. Sky proved that fans were also willing to pay considerable sums to be able to follow the action at home, growing to become one of the biggest media companies in the world off the back of it.

This could all change in the coming years if the rumours are to be believed. The Premier League is reportedly working on an Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming service like Netflix that would replace the need for sports broadcasters like Sky. 

“Premflix” would sell directly to the consumer and would likely save soccer fans money while also making more for the teams involved in the sport. 

Telemetry 

In some sports, data on where players are on the pitch, their speed, direction, and movements are recorded and tracked by sophisticated information. One example of this is in the NBA.

Now that VAR and goal-line technology are commonplace, we are likely to see players being tracked to provide more information to fans watching on TV and allow referees to have more data when they make decisions. 

While some of these changes won’t take place immediately, we’re likely to see them in the coming years.