Football has always been a game that’s been driven by the fans. With the world and the sport advancing at a rapid pace, you’d be surprised to know about some of the FIFA World Cup 2022 technologies that are being utilised. While the introduction of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) has been rather controversial, there’s no doubt that several aspects of the game have improved. Calling offsides, fouls, and deciding on penalties or goals has become much easier for both the fans and the sporting officials. When Qatar was elected to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, it started working on its Vision 20-23 project. The aim of this project was to ensure that both Qatar and FIFA used technology for the betterment of the world’s biggest tournament.
From putting sensors into the official World Cup ball to providing assistance for visually impaired fans, football has definitely come a long way. This is why we’ve decided to curate this list for you, which outlines the various FIFA World Cup 2022 technologies being used this year. While their workings are complex, these technologies are definitely interesting and surprising to know about. Without further ado, let’s check them out, shall we?
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Al Rihla: World Cup Ball
World Cup balls are always one of the highlights leading up to the tournament. From 2010 South Africa’s World Cup ball, the Jabulani, to the Brazuca in 2014, World Cup balls always lead the tournament hype. This time, the official World Cup ball is the Al Rihla. In Arabic, Al Rihla means “the journey”, signifying Qatar’s journey as a World Cup host. Moreover, the World Cup ball has an inertial measurement unit (IMU) placed inside it. This will help the referees to decide offsides and ball kick points much quicker. In fact, the data will be sent to the video operation room over 500 times per second, ensuring that no element of the gameplay is missed.
Furthermore, FIFA has also stated that the ball is made from the latest technology. Its durability and weight will help it travel faster in flight than any of the previous match balls in the tournament’s history. Basically, you won’t find a more technologically advanced ball in all of sports!
Stadium cooling
It’s common knowledge that Qatar did not have functional football stadiums when it was chosen as the host country for the tournament. People were sceptical about the World Cup being played in the scorching heat in the months of June and July. FIFA reacted to this situation by ensuring the tournament was played in the cooler winter months. Moreover, several stadiums have been built around Qatar for the tournament matches. There’s one thing in common between all of these stadiums – the cooling technology.
Each stadium has an energy center built outside. This energy center is responsible for pushing chilled water into various pipelines around the stadium and the field itself. Furthermore, this chilled water will then be converted into cold air, which will be pushed into the entire stadium itself. Overall, not only is this an essential piece of technology, but it’s also one of the most advanced FIFA World Cup 2022 technologies you’ll see!
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Goal-line technology
Goal-line technology has been used in the various domestic leagues around Europe. However, with the Goal-line technology in FIFA World Cup 2022, the most advanced version of this technology has been used. The system is essentially used to assist referees in making their final decisions on goals. FIFA has amped this technology by using 14 high-speed cameras that track the ball. In fact, they’ll be able to send the match officials the result in less than a second’s time. The data sent by the technology is then visualised through a 3D animation. It’s this 3D animation that fans can see on their TV screens through the broadcaster.
Even though the system was initially used in 2014, it’s been implemented much better in the FIFA World Cup 2022. This is definitely for the better, as it will reduce the time wasted in contentious situations. In fact, it’ll also help avoid various controversies that have plagued the game for a long time. Moreover, at such a big stage, it’s imperative that the game is played as efficiently as possible. The introduction of such advanced FIFA World Cup 2022 technologies will aid in this endeavour!
FIFA Player App
Professional football players are always looking to improve their game. Although this is possible primarily through data given by their teams, FIFA and FIFPRO have made it much easier for these players. Now, they’ll be provided an in-depth analysis of their performance in games, shortly after the conclusion of each match. This app will provide players with data such as enhanced football data metrics and physical performance metrics. From their actions breaking the opposition line to their maximum speed, all of this data will be available to players almost immediately.
The data provided during each match is analysed by the best FIFA football analysts and put into the app. Since World Cup matches have very short breaks between them, players won’t have to wait for reports from their national team to understand what they need to work on. Moreover, this data is synced with the players’ moments during the match. So, they’ll be able to see their actions during previous matches in connection with the given data. This is an excellent addition for players who are performing at the world’s biggest football stage to improve their work rate and do well for their nation!
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Football Data Ecosystem
Modern football is entirely different from what the sport was even 10 years ago. Nowadays, players are scouted, and their performances are analysed by clubs using data ecosystems. From progressive passes to expected goals to progressive carries, every data metric is utilised to find suitable players. With the FIFA Football Data Ecosystem, all the relevant stakeholders will have data regarding players and teams at their fingertips. This ecosystem comprises several data processors and sources, providing in-depth information on everything football.
The ecosystem also collects live data during football matches and even collects the positional data of each player. Using this information, analysts can calculate the direction of play and the speed of the players, apart from their overall performance. Basically, this data is then used to help players reach their peak performances. In terms of performance data analysis, it doesn’t get much bigger than this!
Final thoughts
Modern-day football has a large number of stakeholders. These stakeholders often take data and technology into account when making future decisions for their organisations. Moreover, players also analyse their own performances in matches through data and video examples. The aim of the large footballing bodies is to ensure the maximum efficiency of their players and teams in all areas. Considering this, the FIFA World Cup 2022 technologies will go a long way in cementing technology into the sport of football. An occasion as big as this also warrants a healthy amount of innovation. Which of these technologies has surprised you most? Let us know about them in the comment section below!
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Anirban Dutta Choudhury
Writer, researcher, and avid gamer. Geeks out over postmodern novels and the latest PC games. Usually intends all his puns.