Using 360-video to investigate visual exploratory activity in 7v7 and 9v9 sided games in women’s soccer

Immersive technology such as 360-video offers opportunities to analyse visual exploratory activity (VEA) under varying task constraints in controlled experimental settings. The study aimed to investigate the effect of pitch location and sided‑game format on VEA and verbal action responses in 360-video. Nineteen sub-elite female soccer players (21 ± 4 years) viewed 40 soccer videos in a head-mounted display. Footage was recorded using a stationary GoPro 360 Max camera at eye height in defensive and attacking central midfield locations. VEA was measured as the number of “scans” away from the ball across 32 analysed trials. Upon receiving a pass in 360-video, participants simulated and verbalised an action to continue play. A 2 × 2 repeated‑measures ANOVA showed a significant main effect of pitch location (p = 0.016), with higher scan frequencies in defensive (0.31 ± 0.15 scans/s) than attacking midfield (0.29 ± 0.15 scans/s), with no significant effect of sided‑game or interaction effect (p > 0.05). Findings demonstrate players had significantly higher scan frequencies in defensive central midfield compared with attacking central midfield, with the most verbal actions per trial in the 9v9 attacking midfield condition. Future research should assess agreement between VEA measured in 360-video and on-field activities.