AI + turfgrass science in the most high-tech World Cup yet
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What is the significance of AI in the 2026 World Cup?
Hey there, you're listening to Science Friday. I'm Jane Lindholm. I'm the host of a kids' science show called But Why at Vermont Public. And this week, I'm filling in on Science Friday. The 2026 World Cup is finally here. It's already the largest tournament in World Cup history, with 48 teams battling it out. But FIFA and the tech giant Lenovo are also trying to make it the most high-tech tournament ever. with the launch of Football AI Pro, which is designed to analyze over 2,000 different metrics to coaches, players, and analysts.
How does Football AI Pro enhance soccer analytics?
But can AI capture everything that happens on the field? And what does AI integration actually mean for the game? Here to discuss with us is Ryan O'Hanlon, staff writer at ESPN and author of Net Gains, Inside the Beautiful Games Analytics Revolution. Ryan, it's nice to talk with you.
Hey, Jane. Thanks for having me.
Can you just like tick off all or some of at least the new AI features that FIFA is rolling out for this World Cup?
What new AI features are being introduced for refereeing?
Yes. So they say most of the AI features are around refereeing and improving the refereeing process. So some 3D modeling using what they are saying player avatars to be more accurate in terms of calling offside, also being able to determine whether the ball has gone out of bounds for a throw in or a corner kick. There's also a sensor in the ball. And then they also have the AI tool that you've talked about, which is delivering various metrics, which they've said will democratize the use of AI among all the teams at the World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said a couple of months ago, though, that, quote, we are ensuring that innovation benefits every player, every team and every fan everywhere in the world. So it sounds like they're trying to make it sort of infiltrate the whole game.
Yeah, I think Gianni Infantino is the first... He'll be the first person to jump on any trend that is happening in the world. And AI is the big thing that people seem to be excited about.
How does AI democratize analytics for World Cup teams?
So Gianni Infantino wants us all to think that AI is going to transform the World Cup for us for the better. But if I had to venture, I think... the result of all this AI talk for fans will less be an improved experience and more be annoyance with hearing the phrase AI over and over again.
Oh, no. So it's not so much for the fans, in your interpretation, at least.
Yeah, I don't think so. I think that there will probably be all kinds of new metrics that are thrown at us throughout the tournament. But I think those metrics will, as they tend to be very context-free, black box produced, and also, as tends to be the case with a lot of soccer statistics you see on television...
What challenges do teams face with data analysis in soccer?
just not connected to winning and what actually predicts what wins games in any kind of real way will be my guess. I'm happy to be proven wrong, though.
Yeah, you mentioned that, you know, that piece democratizing the game is sort of a buzzword. Is there a benefit to having this spread out across all the teams in the World Cup? You know, whether or not it's for the fans, is there a benefit to the teams?
Yeah, I think that's a really good point. And I do think making analytical tools or data available to more teams is a good thing in general. But at the World Cup, you're limited by who was born in your country or nationalized to play for your team or who your country colonized or has a military base in at some point. So you're limited, like there's no scouting benefits to data in international soccer. While that's kind of the main benefit of data analysis in all sports is like figuring out who's actually good at the sport. So that doesn't apply as much here. And so I think with the data for the games in particular, I think there's a very real question about how actionable or useful any of that data will be.
Because of one, what is the data exactly? Two, how able is anyone at any of these federations to quickly model this data in any real way connected to being predictive? And then three, like the World Cup, as much as we hate to admit it, it's very small sample size in an incredibly random sport.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the significance of AI in the 2026 World Cup?
0:04–0:37
2
How does Football AI Pro enhance soccer analytics?
0:37–1:04
3
What new AI features are being introduced for refereeing?
1:04–2:09
4
How does AI democratize analytics for World Cup teams?
2:09–2:57
5
What challenges do teams face with data analysis in soccer?
2:57–5:10
6
What is the importance of uniform turf in soccer matches?
5:10–6:40
7
How is perfect grass grown for the World Cup stadiums?
6:40–8:24
8
What are the criteria for selecting grass types in different climates?
8:24–20:15
Speakers
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