AI's World Cup debut: Real-time data set to reshape football

HONG KONG — Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to make its World Cup debut in 2026, as football’s most-watched tournament turns to real-time data models and live 3D simulations to reshape match strategy and event operations. Each team will have access to its own AI model, allowing analysts to compare playing patterns through video clips and 3D avatars. Coaches will be able to assess how tactical changes might work against their next opponents, while players will receive personalized match analysis, according to Lenovo, which co-developed football AI with FIFA, and Bank of America (BofA). The system, known as “Football AI Pro,” can analyze hundreds of millions of FIFA data points and process more than 2,000 football-related metrics, including pressing, movement, tactics and transitions. It delivers insights as text explanations, charts or short video clips. “If in the past, rich teams had an advantage; in 2026, AI will democratize data and give everyone a similar chance,” BofA Global Research wrote in a May 6 note. Jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States across