Fifa plans to use a wider range of artificial intelligence tools at the 2026 World Cup, as technology takes on a greater role in refereeing, broadcasting and match analysis.
The tournament, which will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, will feature enhanced offside technology, digital player models, referee cameras and a new analytical platform available to all participating teams.
Football will continue to be played and officiated by people, but AI systems will operate more extensively behind the scenes than at any previous World Cup.
An upgraded version of semi-automated offside technology is expected to help officials reach decisions more quickly.
The system uses cameras positioned around the stadium to track the ball and players in real time. AI analyses the data and alerts match officials when it detects a possible offside offence.
Referees will retain responsibility for the final decision. However, the technology is intended to reduce lengthy video assistant referee checks and improve the accuracy of close calls.
Players will undergo 3D body scans before the tournament to create detailed digital models.
These models will allow the offside system to track players’ body positions more precisely, including during fast or congested passages of play.
The technology will also be used in television coverage. Broadcasters will be able to show 3D reconstructions of incidents, giving viewers a clearer explanation of how an offside decision was reached.
Body-worn cameras will provide footage from the referee’s perspective, offering viewers a different view of incidents on the pitch.
AI-powered image processing will help stabilise the footage and maintain its quality as officials move around the field.
The feature is intended to give audiences a better understanding of the referee’s position and what officials can see when making decisions. It could also provide broadcasters with additional material for post-match analysis.
Fifa also plans to introduce an analytical platform called Football AI Pro.
The system will process large volumes of match data and present its findings through text, graphics, video clips and 3D visualisations. Coaches and analysts will be able to use the platform to assess opponents, review performances and identify tactical patterns.
All participating teams are expected to receive access to the same tools. That could be particularly valuable for smaller football nations that do not have the analytical resources available to wealthier federations.
Equal access will not remove the competitive gap between teams, but it could give every country a stronger base of information from which to prepare.
AI will also be used away from the pitch as Fifa expands its social media protection programme.
The system will monitor public posts and comments for abusive or threatening language directed at players, coaches and officials. Harmful material can then be flagged, filtered or reported to the relevant platforms.
Major tournaments generate millions of online interactions, some of which include discriminatory or personal abuse. Automated monitoring could help reduce participants’ exposure to such content, although human oversight will remain important when interpreting context and deciding what action to take.
The 2026 World Cup will provide a major test of how far AI can improve football without weakening human authority over the game.
Faster offside reviews, 3D reconstructions, referee cameras and advanced analytical tools could make decisions clearer and give teams access to more information. They may also intensify debate about how much technology the sport should use.
The success of these systems will depend not only on their speed and sophistication, but on whether decisions remain understandable and match officials retain the final say.
