What’s new at World Cup 2026? From match ball sensors to AI and robot dogs

In many ways, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be one of a kind.

From the biggest participation pool in the competition’s history to three host countries, the 39-day tournament hopes to be the grandest version of football’s showpiece event.

And to improve the match-viewing experience for fans and make the sport more advanced for players, the 2026 edition will also merge technology with the game.

Al Jazeera Sport breaks down what’s new at the upcoming World Cup:

1. Sensor-equipped match balls

‘Trionda’ – Spanish for ‘three waves’ – is the official match ball for the 2026 World Cup, set to be played across the United States, Mexico and Canada. But what’s special about this Adidas ball?

A small inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor chip is integrated into the ball, delivering insight into every element of its movement. This sensor captures data 500 times per second, tracking the ball’s acceleration and granular movements in three dimensions.

“This technology sends precise data to the video assistant referee (VAR) system in real time, enhancing match officials’ decision-making, including in relation to offside incidents,” a FIFA statement read.

Simply put, as FIFA’s Head of Research & Standards, Nicolas Evans, explained in a BBC video, the sensor tells “what the ball is doing in a 3D space”.

2. AI-enabled 3D player avatars

The use of technology doesn’t end at the match balls. Players are also a small part of it.

As part of the partnership between FIFA and Lenovo, the world’s largest personal computer maker, a series of technological innovations driven by artificial intelligence (AI) was unveiled earlier this year.

Among those are AI-enabled 3D player avatars.

Players at the World Cup will be digitally scanned to create a precise 3D model. Each scan takes approximately one second and captures what FIFA describes as “highly accurate body-part dimensions, allowing the system to track players reliably during fast or obstructed movements”.

“AI-enabled 3D player avatars represent a significant development in semi-automated offside technology,” a FIFA release from January read.

“In addition, the 3D models will be incorporated into the host broadcast, enabling offside decisions determined by the VAR system to be displayed more realistically and in a more engaging way to fans at stadiums and to viewers around the world,” it added.

Referee body cameras – which have already been tried in major football leagues around the world – will also be used at all 104 matches, offering fans a view of the field of play, as if they were present on the pitch themselves.

3. Robot dogs

To help tackle crime at the World Cup, the Mexican police will be relying on dogs. Not the canine kind, but the robotic ones.

The four-legged robots are designed to enter dangerous areas and broadcast live video back to security forces, who can watch before taking action during the tournament.

The animaloid robots – acquired for 2.5 million pesos ($145,000) by the city council of Guadalupe, part of the Monterrey metro area – will be deployed “in case of any altercation”, said Guadalupe Mayor Hector Garcia.

The purpose of the robot dogs is “to support police officers with initial intervention … to protect the physical safety of officers”, he added.

4. Advanced semi-automated offside technology

Frustrated with the linesman raising the offside flag too late? That might end.

FIFA has introduced an advanced semi-automated offside technology, which will enable officials to make quicker decisions than waiting for a move to play out.

Semi-automated offside technology was designed to spot offsides almost in real time, but it previously only alerted officials if a player was more than 50cm offside. However, in its revamped version, it can now help deliver more accurate decisions by signalling when a player is more than 10cm offside.

Officials will receive a real-time audio alert directly to their earpiece, rather than having to wait for VAR to communicate it to them.

There are, however, some limitations. It can only be used for positional offside, not for subjective calls, and will be unable to pick out the closest calls. Also, it cannot interpret whether a player was interfering with play and may not be able to decide an offside call if players are on the ground or bodies are too close together.

Nonetheless, FIFA believes this new tech will cut down on viewers’ and players’ frustrations, as well as reduce the odds of an injury due to needless passages of play when an offside flag is due to be raised.

5. Fixed hydration breaks

Three-minute hydration breaks in each half will be observed at the World Cup, with FIFA introducing this to prioritise player welfare.

There is no weather or temperature condition in place, and the break will be taken around the halfway mark of each half (22nd minute).

“For every game, no matter where the games are played, no matter if there’s a roof, [or] temperature-wise, there will be a three-minute hydration break. It will be three minutes from whistle to whistle in both halves,” said Manolo Zubiria, Chief Tournament Officer, USA, for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“Obviously, if there’s an injury [stoppage] at the moment of the 20th or 21st minute and it’s ongoing, this will be addressed on the spot with the referee,” he added.

You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated FIFA World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.