FIFA unveils tech upgrades for 2026 World Cup, including instant offside alerts and AI avatars

FIFA announced a suite of technology upgrades for the 2026 World Cup. The upgrades include instant off‑side alerts that will notify officials immediately. New artificial‑intelligence avatars will be used to represent players in broadcasts. Additional VAR (Video Assistant Referee) tools are being introduced to aid decision‑making. The enhancements aim to speed up refereeing and improve accuracy. They also seek to increase fan engagement through advanced visual features. Implementation will begin during the tournament’s preparation phase. The changes reflect FIFA’s push to modernise the sport’s biggest event.