The technological revolution of the 2026 World Cup

The International Football Federation (FIFA) is introducing a range of new technologies to this year's World Cup, including artificial intelligence (AI) player avatars, tracking technology integrated into the match ball, and digital coaching assistants.

A model of the official 2026 World Cup ball is displayed in a public space in Mexico. Photo: Phi Hung - Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Mexico.

According to Euronews, FIFA plans to implement several new technologies to improve the quality of play and the fan experience.

Digital tools that support referees, teams, and broadcasters are expected to change the way the beautiful game is experienced both on and off the pitch.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated in Las Vegas in January: “We are committed to ensuring that technological innovation benefits every player, team, and fan around the world … while serving football – the greatest sport on the planet.”

Sensors inside the FIFA ball

Advanced technology is now being integrated into the most crucial component of every football match: the ball.

The FIFA Trionda ball, manufactured by Adidas, is equipped with a motion sensor chip operating at a frequency of 500 hertz, allowing referees to track every movement of the ball. According to FIFA, this system collects data up to 500 times per second.

This technology helps referees accurately determine the point of contact – the moment a player makes contact with the ball – thereby assisting in making faster and more accurate offside decisions.

FIFA says the system can also help detect handball situations or fouls leading to penalties by recording every contact with the ball during the match, something that is very difficult to determine using only video footage.

Reduce refereeing errors?

FIFA President Giovanni Infantino. Photo: THX/VNA

Infantino affirmed that FIFA will also create digital avatars of all 1,248 players participating in the 2026 World Cup to assist referees in making quicker decisions and more clearly recreating situations on the field.

Before the tournament begins, each player undergoes a one-second body scan to create a highly accurate 3D model. This allows referees to track players more easily during high-speed plays or when visibility is obstructed.

These 3D models will complement FIFA's existing semi-automatic offside technology, which uses a stadium camera system to track the position of the ball and players 50 times per second.
When the ball is passed to a player who is likely to be offside, the referees in the control room will receive an automatic alert, allowing them to confirm the situation before notifying the main referee on the field.

3D models of the players will also be integrated into slow-motion replays in the official broadcast, helping viewers in the stadium and at home follow the match more clearly.

Another AI application used in the match is "Referee View." With AI support, this camera system transmits stable images from the match to viewers, giving them the feeling that they are standing right in the middle of the field with the players.

Digital assistant to help analyze the match.

One of FIFA's biggest projects for the upcoming World Cup is the development of Football AI Pro, an AI assistant for all participating teams.

Football AI Pro will analyze matches to provide tactical insights, performance assessments, and strategic suggestions.

The goal of Football AI Pro is to help coaches and coaching staff work more effectively by transforming raw match data into actionable recommendations on the pitch.

According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the Football AI Pro assistant also helps expand access to football data by providing analytical tools for all 48 participating teams as well as fans.

The system can generate textual summaries, analyze video, and visualize match data graphically, thereby helping teams study opponents and assess their own performance.

The 2026 World Cup will be the largest tournament ever, expanding to 48 teams, up from 32 teams at the FIFA World Cup 2022. Four national teams – Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan – will be participating in the world's biggest football tournament for the first time this year.

An estimated 6.5 million fans are expected to attend 104 matches across 16 host cities. According to the official plan, the 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11th to July 19th, 2026, in three North American countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The opening match of the 2026 World Cup is scheduled for June 11th in Mexico.

According to VNA

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/cuoc-cach-manh-cong-nghe-cua-world-cup-2026-a487537.html