The world of football is digitizing rapidly, and the upcoming 2026 World Cup is expected to be a true revolution in this regard. According to the prestigious YNews publication, for the first time in this competition, the fully updated Connected Ball Technology will be fully implemented. This modern system is skillfully integrated into the tournament's official ball, Trionda .
So, how does this magic ball work and what innovations does it bring to football? Below, we explore the secrets of this cosmic technology.
The "micro-brain" inside the ball: What is the sensor capable of?
At the very heart of the innovative ball is a small sensor weighing only 14 grams. It records every movement on the pitch in real-time at a rate of 500 times per second. This means the system measures the ball's flight speed, trajectory in the air, spin, and most importantly, the exact moment the player's foot touches the ball, down to the microsecond.
This data is not just collected. 12 ultra-sensitive, high-speed special cameras installed under the stadium roof capture the signal from the ball. Artificial Intelligence combines this data to create a 3D model of the situation in seconds and sends it directly to the referees' monitors.
An end to offsides and controversial goals
The main reason for the creation of this technology is to ensure fairness in offside situations, which cause the most controversy in football. While the sensor inside the ball shows the exact time the pass was made to a teammate, the cameras map whether the attacker was ahead of or behind the defender at that second.
In addition, the system resolves the following complex situations in seconds:
Determining if the ball has fully crossed the goal line (a goal);
Detecting whether the ball touched a hand inside the penalty area;
Speeding up the referees' decision-making process significantly.
A "smart" ball that needs charging
Notably, the new Trionda ball is much more advanced than the Al Rihla ball used in the Qatar World Cup. Previously, the sensor was suspended in the center of the ball, but now it is placed in a specially protected compartment inside one of the ball's panels. To ensure the ball's balance and weight are not compromised, engineers have also installed a special counterweight (balancer) system on the opposite side.
Just like our phones, these balls must be charged before the game. The small battery inside can last for 6 hours of continuous operation. If the ball goes out of play during a match and is replaced, the system automatically connects to the new ball in a second, ensuring there is no interruption in data transmission.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!Conclusion for fans: Thanks to new technologies, referee errors at the 2026 World Cup will be kept to a minimum. This means we can look forward to pure, transparent, and fair football!
