FIFA and Hawk-Eye Innovations have announced an exciting joint venture to establish the Football Technology Center, a pioneering hub dedicated to advancing the role of technology in football. This collaboration aims to explore emerging technologies, focusing on developing algorithms that can automate the detection of on-pitch events to enhance decision-making accuracy in the sport.
At the core of this initiative is the development of automated offside technology, which relies on sophisticated skeletal and object tracking to monitor the precise locations of the ball and players’ limbs. This innovative technology promises to deliver more accurate offside calls, enhancing the fairness and transparency of the game.
This partnership builds on the established relationship between FIFA and Hawk-Eye, which has been in place since 2017. The joint venture reinforces FIFA’s commitment to utilizing cutting-edge technology to optimize football operations. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström expressed confidence in the project’s potential to benefit the organization’s 211 member associations, stating that the collaboration will streamline data collection, support informed decision-making, and improve the football experience for everyone involved.
Hawk-Eye Innovations, part of Sony’s sports division alongside Pulselive and Beyond Sports, brings extensive expertise in digital and immersive technologies. Hawk-Eye CEO Rufus Hack emphasized the strategic value of this partnership, highlighting Hawk-Eye’s dedication to making football more precise, understandable, and exciting for players and fans alike.
"The creation of the Football Technology Center," Hack stated, "marks a natural progression in our relationship with FIFA. This venture will help define the future of officiating, performance analysis, and fan engagement through advancements in technology and AI."
This initiative represents a significant step forward in the intersection of sports and technology, as FIFA and Hawk-Eye work together to set new standards for football innovation.