By Chalien Dantes

FIFA is taking technology to a whole new level at the 2026 World Cup, with AI-powered 3D avatars for every player, aiming to make semi-automated offside decisions more precise. 

All 1,248 players from the 48 teams’ 26-man squads will be digitally scanned in just one second during their pre-tournament photo shoot.

The scans capture exact body measurements, allowing officials to track players more accurately, even during fast or obstructed movements, and present decisions in a way that feels more realistic for fans. This comes after a Premier League controversy earlier this season when a Newcastle goal against Manchester City was allowed despite confusing semi-automated offside graphics.

FIFA has already tested the technology during the Intercontinental Cup, scanning Flamengo and Pyramids FC players, and is also trialling new systems to detect if the ball crosses the line before a goal and create real-time 3D recreations to help with line-of-sight offside calls.