The World Cup just wrapped up its epic conclusion, leaving us with some incredible matches throughout the series. But along with incredible matches, we’ve also seen some incredible technology implemented to give us the best access to the game and plays. And since we’re a tech-obsessed company, it felt like a great opportunity to share what we’ve learned about the technology used and how an event like the World Cup is run, giving fans minute-by-minute updates on all the great plays and matches.
Tech Advancements
Spidercam
You know that floating camera zipping over the field during games? That’s a Spidercam—basically a high-tech, stabilized camera rig hanging from a web of motorized Kevlar cables. While we’ve seen them around for a while, the broadcasters at the 2026 World Cup are pushing them way harder this time around, turning the whole tournament into something that looks less like a standard TV broadcast and more like a high-budget movie.
Rather than being restricted to pre-match line-ups, halftime breaks, or post-goal celebrations due to safety and player-distraction concerns, spidercams are now actively integrated into live play. Advanced software zoning ensures the rig maintains a strict safe altitude above the ball’s trajectory while capturing sweeping, tactical angles of unfolding attacks. Furthermore, in a broadcast first for the tournament, these cameras are being deployed directly during penalty shootouts, positioning themselves dynamically behind or slightly above the kicker to capture the immense psychological tension, the keeper’s precise movements, and the ball’s trajectory with unprecedented intimacy.
To achieve this level of immersion, Host Broadcast Services (HBS) introduced multiple cablecam systems per venue following successful testing at the 2025 Club World Cup Final. Alongside the traditional 4-point Spidercam moving in three-dimensional space, select marquee stadiums now feature a secondary, high-speed point-to-point cable camera running parallel to the touchline, allowing for simultaneous, multi-angle aerial tracking of fast-break counters. These next-generation rigs are outfitted with ultra-lightweight 4K HDR broadcast cameras paired with real-time augmented reality graphics tracking, allowing live stats, player speeds, and tactical grids to be overlaid seamlessly onto the aerial feed with no latency. The result is a viewing experience that shatters the boundaries of traditional sports broadcasting, blending the tactical clarity of a video game with the high-stakes drama of a cinematic blockbuster.
RefCam
Perhaps the most talked-about innovation of the 2026 World Cup is the RefCam, a small, high-definition camera mounted directly onto each referee’s headset that captures the match from their literal point of view. Developed jointly by FIFA’s football technology team and their refereeing department—with advanced AI stabilization provided by Lenovo—this body camera delivers footage unlike anything fans have ever seen. It plunges viewers right into the action, showing players closing space at full speed, the utter chaos of a crowded penalty box scramble, and the intense, split-second nature of officiating decisions. While the technology was previously tested at the 2025 Club World Cup and in the Premier League, where Australian referee Jarred Gillett became the first to wear one in 2024, it has now officially gone global, having been deployed across all 104 matches of the tournament to completely redefine how we understand the game.
Cine Cameras Over Broadcast Cameras
Since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA has been integrating high-end cinema cameras into its live broadcasts. Yep, the exact same gear crews use for Hollywood movies and music videos, and also in our rental inventory. These cameras deliver a super-shallow depth of field that regular broadcast cameras just can’t match. You know those gorgeous, cinematic shots where a player’s face is with a razor-sharp depth-of-field, or those dramatic close-ups of a coach stressing on the sideline and fans crying in the stands? That’s all the cine camera working its magic. For the 2026 World Cup, these rigs are a permanent fixture at every match, capturing pre-game tunnel walks, emotional fan reactions, and moody close-ups. It’s pretty wild to see the same equipment pros rent for big-budget commercials being used live at the biggest sporting event on Earth, turning the whole tournament into a total blockbuster experience.
In addition, FIFA has implemented semi-automated offside technologies that can better detect penalties than ever before. By using body scans of each player, computer systems can rebuild plays in a 3D space for near-immediate playback, offering more interactive play deduction and replay options with the help of 3D visualizations. This, along with a soccer ball filled with sensors, allows stats to appear in near real time, giving fans better insight into the game.
Rental Order
Generally, we have a rule that we don’t share rental orders with the public - we believe in our customers’ discretion, and work solely to help facilitate how to get quality gear to those who need it. But we were able to partner with FIFA and the US Soccer team on an order, so I can share some details on what was used to bring the World Cup to life this year. In short, it’s much the same as mentioned above; they relied heavily on RED Komodo-X 6K cameras, paired with the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8L lens. On the production side, they also used a number of BlackMagic Design HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro systems to ingest the data, with several Belden 12G-SDI BNC cables extending up to 150ft for some of the systems. The remaining orders are several pieces of gear to complement the systems, from camera cages to tripods to an army of Micro-V Mount batteries.
As technology advances, we’ll be seeing it implemented in more live broadcasting events. Personally, I find that the advancements add to the sport’s immersion and provide more data and interesting statistics that were previously impossible. Some fans, however, find that it detracts from the immersion and compromises the purity of the sport. Regardless of your stance, technology is finding its way into all sporting events, and we’ll likely see it advance further over time, giving us more insight into the game and offering camera angles previously impossible.