World Cup 2026: FIFA digitally scans all players to create offside avatars

FIFA plans to create 3D AI-powered avatars for every player in the 2026 World Cup to boost semi-automated offside technology at the tournament.

This meant creating a digital scan of all 1,248 players in the 26-man squads of the 48 teams.

Each player will enter the room to be scanned, a process that should only take one second and should only be done once during the pre-tournament photo shoot.

FIFA says the scan “captures very precise dimensions of body parts” to make more accurate offside decisions.

She expects this will mean tournament officials will be able to “reliably track players during fast or obstructive movements,” and says final decisions “will be presented more realistically and in a more engaging way.”

There was controversy in the Premier League earlier this season when Newcastle’s goal against Manchester City was allowed to stand.

It looks like Ruben Dias was jumping in the semi-automated offside drawing. This did not match the television images of the game.

FIFA hopes that by conducting more careful checks on each player, it can improve how these decisions are presented to fans.

The technology was tested at the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, where Flamengo and Pyramids players were scanned before the match in December.

FIFA announced last month that it is testing a new technology that can determine whether the ball is out of play before a goal is scored. It has also developed a “real-time 3D recreation” to make line-of-sight stealth decisions.