A FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, which started last Sunday (20), promises to be the most technological of all time, with innovations inside and outside the four lines of the field. Below, discover 6 innovations that have been implemented in the competition to improve the experience for players and fans.

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1. Bal Al Rihla

Official ball of the biggest sports tournament in the world, the Al Rihla is equipped with the Adidas Suspension System, a motion sensor that sends data 500 times per second. This device is imperceptible to gamers and provides, according to the report of the tomorrow’s world todayan “unprecedented view” of every element of matchday movement to improve the quality and speed of decision-making for VARs (Video Assistant Referees) and semi-automated offside technology.

2. Semi-automatic offside technology

Speaking of offside, another innovation from the Qatar World Cup is semi-automated offside technology, which aims to enable video and on-field referees to make faster, more accurate and repeatable decisions. . The system is powered by artificial intelligence and uses 12 dedicated cameras mounted under the roofs of the stadium to track the ball and up to 29 data points for each player.

The information is collected 50 times per second and provides an automated offside alert to referees whenever an attacker is in an offside position. The positional data points used to make the decision are generated in a 3D animation, which is displayed on stadium screens and made available to FIFA’s broadcast partners to further explain the decision.

3. FIFA Player Application

For the first time, World Cup players have access to a player app, FIFA Player. It provides athletes with information – captured by a team of expert performance analysts – about their on-court performance right after every match.

With it, the player finds out, for example, how much he moved to receive the ball, the pressure he applied to an opponent, the places where passes were received, the distance covered at different speed limits, the number of actions above 25 km/h. h maximum speed reached.

4. Bonocle and Palm Feelix

In order for visually impaired football fans to enjoy the competition, Bonocle and Feelix Palm technologies have been introduced in this year’s edition. Bonocle is the world’s first braille entertainment platform and uses transcoding capabilities and Bluetooth technologies. The Feelix Palm is a communicator with touch functionality. Using electrical pulses, it transmits Braille messages to the visually impaired without restricting their physical movement or hearing.

5. Advanced stage cooling technology

To ensure thermal comfort during competition, seven of the eight stadiums at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar feature advanced cooling technology to keep them at around 20°C, a temperature considered ideal for players and the supporters. The system, which is estimated to be 40% more sustainable and energy efficient compared to conventional techniques, uses a combination of insulation and targeted cooling to cool only where people are.

6. Cameras and Algorithms

In terms of security, Qatar’s command and control centers have more than 15,000 cameras in stadiums to track people’s movements during matches, according to a report from the newspaper. The Washington Postt.

Algorithms are also used to try to prevent stadium riots – they depend on various data points, including ticket sales and fan entry. At the same time, the Lusail stadium, which hosts more than 80,000 people and where the Cup final will be played, has been equipped with facial recognition technology to track football fans.

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