The excitement and thrills of football unify people of different races, religions, backgrounds, and nationalities. The game is just beautiful, and FIFA hosts the biggest football tournaments once every four years with the hopes of making the next competition better than the last, and the best way that this can be achieved is when new technologies are introduced into the game.
The ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar is proving to be better than the previous one because the most televised event in the world has decided to embrace technological evolution over the decades since it began.
Here are the latest technologies FIFA incorporated into the competition.
Bonocle
This technology helps visually impaired fans experience the world in the best way possible. The Bonocle converts digital content from the World Cup to braille, allowing the visually impaired to understand the data and, in turn, enjoy the entire tournament. These developments will make the competition a joy for both people who can see and those who cannot.
Smart Ball
The official balls of FIFA are connected to cutting-edge technologies, and the recent ball, the AL-RIHLA, was jointly developed by Cairos Technology and Adidas. The balls are linked with technologies such as motion sensors and bluetooth technology to show the position of the ball at all times during the game. The ball is also linked to a system that transfers real-time data to VARs (Video Assistant Referees) about the ball’s movements. This ball technology is also used in conjunction with FIFA’sFIFA’s semi-automatic offside technology, which detects if a player is offside.
The Electronic Performance System
These are built-in wearables, sensors, and cameras that are used to monitor and track players’ performance on the pitch. This is used to control and improve player and team performance. Each team has three systems for real-time electronic performance tracking. First for the analyst in the stands, one for the analyst off the bench, and the last for the medical team.
VAR Systems
After being introduced at the 2018 World Cup in Brazil, this technology has improved from what it used to be. This support tool is used to help referees make accurate, fast, and repeatable decisions throughout the competition. The upgraded Var system comes with 12 tracking cameras around the stadium. This technology provides an instant offside warning to the VAR. This way, there will be no need for a long replay by the referee or VAR when it is time to make a decision, as some fans have argued that this slows the game down.
Goal-Line Technology
This technology debuted at the 2014 World Cup held in Brazil. With the goal line technology, the ball’s motion is captured, and when the entire ball crosses the goal line, the camera captures it and sends a signal to the referee’s watch to confirm that it is a goal.
The football game is getting better every day, and FIFA is ensuring that fans worldwide can enjoy an exhilarating and fair game. Which FIFA technologies are you most excited about, and which areas do you feel should be improved? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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Photo by Fauzan Saari
