How suite of AI tools will be used by teams, officials and fans at FIFA World Cup
How suite of AI tools will be used by teams, officials and fans at FIFA World Cup
Publish Date: 2026-06-07 18:43:00
Source Domain: www.friendsoffootballnz.com
Artificial intelligence is set to play a visible role at this year’s FIFA Men’s World Cup, offering new tools for teams, officials and fans.
FIFA and their official technology partner, Lenovo, have unveiled a suite of artificial intelligence innovations set to be used at the showcase tournament to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The technologies, collectively branded “Football AI,” were revealed in January 2026, in Las Vegas, where FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Lenovo chairman and chief executive Yuanqing Yang presented systems designed to enhance officiating, support teams, and deepen fan engagement.
Teams to be provided with analysis tool
A central plank of the new portfolio is Football AI Pro, a generative AI knowledge assistant that will be available to all 48 teams competing in the expanded World Cup format.
Football AI Pro analyses hundreds of millions of football-specific data points to generate validated insights in text, video, graphs and 3D visualisations.
Teams will be able to use the tool before and after matches to inform tactical planning, match preparation and performance review.
Unlike analysis systems that have traditionally favoured wealthier nations with deeper technical resources, Football AI Pro is intended to democratise access to elite-level analytics, FIFA say.
Smaller and debuting teams will receive the same analytical capabilities as established football powers, helping to level the competitive field.
Football AI Pro’s interface supports prompts in multiple languages and delivers consistent, tournament-wide intelligence for every game.
More tech support for match officials
Officials will also use AI to help improve the accuracy of critical match decisions.
Every player at the World Cup will be digitally scanned to create a precise AI-enabled 3D player avatar that will feed into semi-automated offside technology.
Each scan takes about one second and captures highly accurate body-part…
