FIFA
VU and FIFA, the global governing body for international football, first partnered together in 2016. VU was chosen from more than 20 universities around the world to develop world-first international standards for FIFA’s quality program to assess the accuracy of Electronic Performance Tracking Systems (EPTS) worn by players.
In 2022, FIFA announced that Victoria University would be the first university in the world to become an official FIFA Research Institute for Football Technology. FIFA commissions research with VU’s team of elite sport experts in biomechanics, wearable technologies, exercise physiology and data analytics.
The VU student experience
VU researchers conducted validation testing on semi-automated offside technology, recently approved by FIFA for use in offside calls. The technology ensures offside decisions are accurate, quick, and clear.
Many VU postgraduate students have gained employment as research assistants, to work on a range of projects involving FIFA.
Track VU
TRACK VU, a VU venture developed to commercialise sport research and consulting, works with FIFA and other organisations including the AFL, Tennis Australia, Techstars and the National Basketball League to help them better understand athlete performance and effective training.
Research group leaders include:
- Professor Rob Aughey – Sport Training
- Associate Professor Kevin Ball – Analytics and Technology
- Professor Hans Westerbeek – Sport Business Insights
- Professor Sam Robertson – Sport Decision Making
- Associate Professor Camilla Brockett – Sport Performance & Systems
- Associate Professor Fabio Serpiello – Sport Physiology.
VU & FIFA in the news
