Tech and the FIFA World Cup

As England continues to stay in the running for taking the title, it seems the UK fans are showing more and more interest in the technologies used in the World Cup; related Google searches have risen by a whopping 201% over the past week. 

While technology has played a role in high level football for a long time now, the latest tournament utilizes an even broader range of tools, a handful of which are outlined below.

Smart balls

A particularly ‘visible’ development in the FIFA World Cup is the use of footballs containing embedded microchips and sensors. The sensors are said to collect data around 500 times a second, providing officials with an incredible amount of information, including being able to identify the exact moment a player touches the ball. This information feeds into many time-critical decisions, and gives commentators and viewers a more detailed picture of the ball's movement that would otherwise be extremely difficult to measure. The additional information provides a lot more interesting statistics for the games, increasing discussion around and thus interest in the tournament.

The use of connected match balls forms part of a broader technological revolution in football officiating. For a deeper look at the intellectual property behind VAR, semi-automated offside technology and other World Cup innovations, see our colleague, Sam Mailer's, article, 'FIFA's World Cup Tech Revolution - and the IP Behind the Scenes'.

Smart stadiums

Thousands of sensors have been installed within the stadiums, allowing for the adjustment of various conditions in real time, including, for example, lighting and temperatures.

For venue operators, this allows for the improved management of services and energy usage. For spectators, this leads to a more comfortable experience, where conditions and services are updated in real time to respond to spectator needs.

Ground security

This time around, stadiums are being monitored by robotic dogs. These robots can be put out on patrol, can inspect harder-to-reach spaces and can also send live video back to their human 'colleagues’. Having the ability to deploy robots in this way may be useful in acting as a deterrent and may also allow generally for improved security measures across the venues. 

From a brief look at this, it seems technologies used in high level football are extending beyond the pitch, beyond just the ‘visible’ game, but to all of the wider electronics systems supporting the stadiums and the sporting event more generally. This gives better oversight of how a tournament site is generally managed (e.g. secured, lit, cooled, monitored), in turn providing for a safer and more comfortable experience for spectators.

Here at M&C we have a strong interest in sports, health and fitness related technologies. If you have any sports, health or fitness related IP matters you'd like to discuss, please don't hesitate to contact Annabel Williams or your usual M&C contact - we'd be delighted to help!

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