FIFA World Cup 2026 will use spider cameras, AI avatars, and new broadcasting platforms to expand its global reach.

The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams and 104 matches (described by FIFA as equivalent to "104 Super Bowls"), with games hosted across Canada, the US, and Mexico. Five million paying customers will attend stadiums in person, while up to six billion are predicted to engage with the competition around the world on screens, phones, and tablets.

Cable-suspended, gyro-stabilised spider cameras will swoop above the action during play. Each stadium will have 45 to 50 cameras including pole cams, cable cams, 360 cams, and a new "Referee view" camera mounted on referees to show what they see. AI stabilisation software will improve the smoothness of shots from these unstable camera positions.

Players will be scanned into 3D AI avatars during pre-tournament media shoots. These avatars will assist VAR decisions by tracking player identity and enabling semi-automated offside technology, which is expected to deliver faster, fairer decisions with greater image quality.

In a landmark partnership, TikTok and YouTube will become FIFA's first-ever "preferred platforms". TikTok will live-stream match parts and offer behind-the-scenes content; YouTube's broadcast partners will post highlights, live-stream entire games, and archive previous tournaments.