At the 2026 World Cup, footballers play with balls that need to be charged like a smartphone

At 2026 World Cup matches, “smart” balls with built-in motion sensors and artificial intelligence are being used*. Before each game, they have to be charged at special stations right in the stadium 🔋

Inside the ball is a system that tracks every touch in real time and instantly transmits data to VAR referees. Thanks to this, referees can more quickly determine offsides, handballs, and other contentious moments 😳

It turns out that now the outcome of a match depends not only on the players and referees, but also on the charge level of the football.