Given the rate of speed at which technology continues to develop and how it has been able to have a lasting impact on the way that professional sport is played and continues to be developed, it hardly comes as a surprise that the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a tournament that will be able to benefit from a number of incredible technological developments.
Indeed, this year’s competition is one that is full of a number of different firsts, with this edition being the first to be held in the Middle East, as well as being the first one to be held in the middle of the winter. However, it is also going to be a first for many in terms of the technology that is being implemented, too.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the revolutionary things that we will be able to expect to see throughout the world’s premier football competition.
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New technology implemented inside the ball and around the stadium
One way in which sport – including football – has been able to improve vastly over the years is due to the technology that is possible to implement within the game when it is being played. We have seen the controversial decision to implement things such as VAR, as well as goal-line technology, but this year’s 2022 FIFA World Cup will provide us with something new.
Located inside the Al Rihla – the official match ball – a connected ball technology will be made available in which real-time data will be relayed to VAR officials. They will then be able to use this data to work out whether an offside has taken place as they look to try and continue to improve FIFA’s Semi-automated Offside Technology system.
This new technological revolution will also be seen at the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the very first time, too. This program will be used in order to assist match officials in decision-making, as it will provide them with accurate data that is provided to them in a quick manner.
A total of 12 cameras will be utilized around the stadium tracking the action, and it will immediately inform VAR each time the ball is played to a player in an offside position on the pitch. This should then help to eliminate the amount of time spent checking on marginal offsides, thus potentially speeding up each of the matches and giving fans more action, rather than seeing a lot of time being wasted.
2022 FIFA World Cup to be more accessible than ever
There has been a call for a greater level of accessibility for fans, with many around the world looking to get the most out of one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
Indeed, Americans have been granted a greater level of accessibility in regard to betting online for this upcoming competition, as they are now able to access the early odds that have already been made available for all the important markets of the upcoming event due to changes in regulations to have been experienced in recent years.
However, those that are visually impaired will now get the opportunity to enjoy accessible experiences. A product that is known as ‘Bonocle’ will convert digital content into braille, thus allowing fans to get the best experiences possible. This will mean those fans that are unable to see clearly will get to enjoy the same content as everybody else, thus making the 2022 FIFA World Cup more inclusive.
Fans in the stands will be kept cool in seven of the eight stadiums
Much of the uproar – and the subsequent decision to move the tournament to the winter – has been due to the heat that can be experienced in the Middle East and Qatar. However, new technology has allowed the organizers to try and combat that heat as much as possible.
We will see an Advanced Cooling Tech system be used in seven of the eight stadiums that will help to keep the stadium as cool as possible while the match takes place and fans are sitting in their seats. It will work by having chilled water rushed through the pipes, which will then push cold air through to the stadium. This will be the first time it has ever been used at a World Cup.
Stadium 974 is revolutionary
Technology has the ability to do something rather remarkable and special, and perhaps the creation of Stadium 974 is evidence of this. The venue is fully demountable, which means it can be more environmentally friendly, thus being greener for the world.
This is possible as shipping containers and modular steel frames have been used, thus making it one-of-a-kind and the first to have ever been featured in the FIFA World Cup throughout history.
Final Thoughts
As can be seen, it is impossible to deny the impact that technology is set to have on the upcoming football competition, and it is perhaps only the beginning of the future of the sport; especially if each of them works in the way that is intended!
