Artificial intelligence has become a crucial part of the world’s biggest football tournament. From match operations and team preparations to broadcast enhancements and fan engagement, AI is being woven into the very fabric of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, transforming it into a global showcase for intelligent technology.

The World Cup, which kicks off on June 11, is a big moment for large tech players such as Lenovo, Google, and Salesforce to show off their AI capabilities.

Nature asked a football-journal chief about emerging trends in the sport, from AI tools to PhD students embedded with teams.