Tech companies test AI tools at the World Cup

Major technology companies are turning the 2026 World Cup into a public test of AI systems for teams, fans, officials and emergency responders. The stakes are high because the tournament spans 16 cities in three countries, includes 48 teams and is expected by FIFA to draw more than five million in-person spectators, with billions more watching elsewhere.

Lenovo, which became FIFA’s official technology partner under a deal announced in October 2024, is bringing AI-enabled phones and tablets, an AI assistant for participating teams and AI support for a video system used by referees, according to the company. Lenovo chief information officer Art Hu said the audience creates intense pressure for the technology to work reliably.

Lenovo puts team data tools on the field

One of Lenovo’s main offerings is Football AI Pro, a generative AI tool built to analyze football data from past matches and live play, according to Hu. The system can present its analysis to coaches, trainers and support staff through text, video, charts and 3D visuals.

Hu said the tool can be used to study scenarios such as the success rate of corner kicks taken by players including Lionel Messi of Argentina or Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. He said Lenovo and FIFA wanted the tool to be available across countries, while leaving each team to decide how much it wants to rely on the data.

Other technology companies are also using the tournament to show AI in practical settings. Google has partnerships with eight national teams, including the United States, Argentina, Brazil and France, according to Marvin Chow, Google’s vice president of consumer and AI marketing.

Google aims AI at fans and players

Chow said Google sees the World Cup as a global venue to demonstrate consumer AI, though he described the design as deliberately low-profile. He said players are using AI and digital tools for match preparation, travel in unfamiliar cities and local recommendations.

Google’s AI search features can display interactive explanations of formations such as 4-4-2 and 4-3-3, according to Chow. He also said Google Maps and Waze will include traffic and road-closure information, stadium imagery and live scores when a vehicle is stopped.

AI agents that users can authorize to search online for tickets remain in an early pilot phase, Chow said. He said those tools are expected to be more ready for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027.

Safety and betting integrity get AI support

RapidSOS, which says it connects data from more than 723 million devices, apps and sensors to 911 centers and other first responders, is working with FIFA and stadiums in cities including Atlanta and Kansas City. Chief technology officer Zach LaValley said the arrival of fans from many countries will add language challenges for public safety agencies.

LaValley said AI transcription will connect with local 911 calls from inside stadiums, helping responders identify and translate foreign-language calls faster. RapidSOS is also working with FIFA and stadium operators to share information such as stadium layouts and access ramps with federal, state and local agencies, and to alert stadium contacts during emergencies.

Sportradar, which supplies data and technology services to sports betting companies and works with leagues including FIFA, is using machine learning and AI to identify betting patterns that may indicate match-fixing attempts, according to the company. Behshad Behzadi, Sportradar’s chief product, technology and AI officer, said the World Cup is expected to generate up to $50 billion in total betting turnover.

Behzadi said Sportradar’s process starts with an anomaly flag, followed by a second AI-assisted review before a human analyst is asked to examine the case. Verizon is providing stadium network connectivity across North America, while Salesforce’s Slack will be used to coordinate workforce management across host cities, according to the companies’ tournament plans.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.