At the 2026 World Cup, on‑field referees and sideline officials will rely on a dense network of cameras, sensors and computer‑vision software to police fouls, offside calls and penalties. VAR and semi‑automated offside technology return, but this edition adds unprecedented granularity, letting officials consult objective data when human judgment falters in real time across the pitch during every critical moment.

Before kickoff, FIFA partnered with Lenovo to scan every athlete in 360 degrees, producing a digital twin that matches height, limb length and shoe size within 1–2 mm. Hawk‑Eye now tracks 16 high-resolution cameras, capturing over two dozen skeletal points per player. Kinexon’s ball embeds a 13‑gram ultrawide‑band sensor, logging position and spin 500 times per second throughout each match for analysis.

During play, officials can query the system to verify offside lines, red‑card incidents or even a goalkeeper’s line of sight via a 3D view. Immediate alerts stop play for clear violations, reducing review delays. FIFA says the upgrades will eliminate “one‑toe” errors, delivering a more consistent adjudication process that fans and teams can trust throughout the tournament on every stage.