Co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States across 16 cities, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature an expanded format with 48 teams and 104 matches. The opening match will take place on June 11th. The 2026 World Cup will also be the first to deeply integrate AI into the tournament. Each team will be equipped with its own AI model, allowing analysts to compare gameplay through video and 3D simulations. Coaches can assess the effectiveness of tactical changes against their next opponent, while players will receive personalized match analysis data.
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This illustrates the technologies and AI expected to be applied in the FIFA World Cup 2026. |
Called Football AI Pro, or FIFA AI Pro, the program developed by Lenovo can analyze hundreds of millions of FIFA data points and process over 2,000 football-related metrics, including pressing, movement, tactics, and transitions. The platform provides detailed information in the form of textual explanations, charts, or short videos .
In fact, prior to 2018, FIFA did not provide shared data or analytical tools. This meant that federations with greater financial resources had an advantage by investing in and developing their own systems. After this period, several technologies were widely adopted, the most well-known being video assistant referee (VAR), goal-line technology, and ball trajectory tracking systems.
"Previously, wealthy teams often had a technological advantage. But by 2026, AI is 'democratizing' data and providing equal opportunities," Bank of America Global Research commented on its website earlier this month.
According to the FIFA website, first, players participating in the 2026 World Cup will be scanned by a digital system for about a second to create an accurate 3D version of their bodies, called a "digital avatar". This information is expected to help referees make more accurate and understandable offside decisions in controversial situations, as well as help fans better understand VAR referee decisions.
Current solutions have also been upgraded. Referee support technologies such as VAR and SAO (semi-automatic offside detection) no longer rely on traditional cloud computing models. Instead, they utilize edge computing, allowing data from hundreds or thousands of cameras and sensors at stadiums to be collected, processed, and analyzed on-site on-field devices rather than being sent to a central data center. This reduces the delay in AI results, speeds up referee support, and increases system stability and risk. In VAR situations, AI not only plays back video for the referee but also intervenes to identify potentially controversial errors such as offside or handball by analyzing player positions and ball movement in real time.
With the requirement for on-site data processing, the server and edge computing infrastructure will be more complex than previous conventional systems. One of the technologies that benefits most in terms of processing capability and speed is Hawk-Eye – a computer vision technology that uses multiple high-speed cameras to track the trajectory of the ball, providing accurate information to referees and spectators. The system works by cross-splicing images from different camera angles to create a 3D image and analyze the ball's path.
The 16 stadiums hosting the matches also have their own digital versions, or live virtual replicas, of the venue. Operators use these to monitor crowd movement to manage security risks and optimize operations. The system synchronizes player data from wearable devices in real time to detect potential health issues during matches.
For viewers, AI applications at the 2026 World Cup will provide real-time data. Spectators in stadiums can view enhanced information about on-field action, individual players, and replays from multiple camera angles. The data will be personalized, such as focusing only on overhead shots or analyzing specific players they enjoy.
Storage device manufacturer SanDisk estimates that the 2026 World Cup will generate more than 90 petabytes of data, 45 times the amount of data generated during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. If social media posts, selfies, mobile device interactions, and other digital activities are included, the total amount of data could reach "unprecedented" levels.
Meanwhile, BofA Bank predicts a record data volume of two exabytes, equivalent to 45,000 years of watching 4K video. "This is the first football tournament to see data as the primary product," BofA's research team told the SCMP. "We are seeing the potential for large-scale real-time simulation, where the physical world is reflected in data at a rate of several petabytes per week."
In addition to technology for players and stadiums, the 2026 World Cup is expected to feature the most impressive fleet of self-driving vehicles ever. Seven self-driving car companies will operate in 10 host cities, allowing spectators to use this mode of transportation as an alternative to traditional taxis. Waymo is expected to have the largest presence, with planned trips in seven host cities and trials in three other cities in the US.
Humanoid and quadrupedal robots will also be present at the world's biggest football event. Hyundai will use Boston Dynamics' Atlas and Spot robots for stadium operations support, logistics, and fan interaction. Mexico plans to deploy robotic dogs for stadium security and emergency response tasks.
The application of AI at the World Cup comes amidst predictions by analysts that the trend of AI in sports will accelerate. Earlier this year, the Oakland Ballers, a professional baseball team, became the first sports team to use AI to manage a game, including setting up lineups and substitutions. Norwegian club HamKam FC is also experimenting with similar technology.
"The goal of this application is not to replace the cheers of the crowd or the instincts of a good coach. Instead, this technology helps people focus more on what they do best: inspire, lead, and connect," the auditing and consulting firm PwC wrote in a report in January. "AI not only doesn't destroy the magic of sport, it actually enhances it."
Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/world-cup-2026-dam-chat-ai-the-nao-postid446283.bbg
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