Players in the World Cup to Have AI Avatars to Aid Refereeing
Every player will have a highly detailed digital “AI avatar” in the 2026 World Cup that will assist video assistant referees in making decisions. The initiative, which involves scanning every player to create precise 3D models, could make individual height and body dimensions a factor in how offside calls are judged. The announcement came from FIFA President Gianni Infantino during a keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas. The tournament, spread across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, will feature 104 matches. Infantino noted that the introduction of player-specific digital models would improve how officials interpret marginal calls, particularly those involving positioning. He added that AI-based…