The World Cup's most valuable player isn't on the pitch - it's AI

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is not only showcasing the world's best football talent, it is also becoming the first truly AI-powered tournament.

Within seconds of a goal being scored, personalized highlight clips are now automatically generated, branded, and distributed across social media platforms, often before television broadcasts have finished showing a replay. At the same time, youth players on local fields are receiving customized videos and performance analyses moments after matches end, thanks to advances in artificial intelligence and automated video production.

Together, these developments are reshaping how football is watched, analyzed, and shared.

Artificial intelligence is changing how fans interact with the game. Rather than simply searching for scores, supporters can now ask detailed tactical questions and receive real-time explanations, visual breakdowns, and personalized insights.

Google's AI-powered tools launched ahead of the World Cup allow users to receive tailored match analyses, customized daily briefings, and live updates based on the teams they follow. Navigation platforms such as Google Maps and Waze are also providing real-time guidance around stadiums, fan zones, and viewing locations.

The result is a viewing experience that extends far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch.

Among the companies driving this transformation is Israeli technology firm WSC Sports, whose AI platform automatically generates and distributes sports content for leagues, broadcasters, and clubs around the world.

According to the company, its systems produced 16 million video highlights in 2025 alone—roughly 49,000 pieces of content every day. The platform processed more than 450,000 live broadcasts and detected over 124 million sporting events automatically.

"Our goal is for content to reach fans in near real time, at the peak of their excitement," said Yitav Topaz, WSC Sports' Vice President of Strategic Partnerships.

The company's technology now automates nearly every stage of the content cycle, including highlight creation, platform-specific formatting, language localization, branding, graphics, and even AI-generated commentary.

For the expanded 2026 World Cup, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, the system is expected to operate simultaneously across dozens of channels and languages, creating customized content for audiences around the world.

Another Israeli company, Pixellot, is applying AI at the grassroots level.

The firm's automated camera systems currently record more than two million matches annually across over 80 countries, with more than 850,000 games streamed live each year. Unlike traditional broadcast setups, Pixellot's AI tracks the ball, follows player movement, and automatically produces highlights and statistics without requiring a camera operator.

The technology allows youth players to access every touch, shot, pass, and defensive action from a match, along with personalized performance data and highlight reels that can be shared with coaches and scouts.

"In the past, scouts had to travel physically to identify talent," said Ariel Yehezkel, Marketing Operations Lead at Pixellot. "Today they can evaluate players from anywhere in the world using video and data."

The technology has become particularly widespread in the United States, where thousands of schools and colleges use automated systems to showcase athletes who previously received little or no exposure.

Industry experts say the most significant impact of AI may be its ability to democratize access to tools that were once available only to elite organizations.

A few years ago, clubs such as Barcelona, Manchester City, and Real Madrid could afford dedicated teams of analysts, videographers, and scouting departments. Today, many of those capabilities are becoming accessible to smaller clubs, youth academies, and regional broadcasters through AI-powered platforms.

"What was once a privilege reserved for the highest level of sport has now become the standard on neighborhood fields," Yehezkel said.

Dr. Naomi Onkelos Spiegel, a software engineering expert at Braude Academic College, says AI is also changing how clubs understand both players and fans.

"Clubs no longer rely solely on intuition," she explained. "They analyze fan behavior, social media engagement, and player performance in real time to make better decisions."

According to recent industry data, nearly three-quarters of global sports fans now follow sports through social media, while more than 60 percent regularly consume short-form highlights and clips.

With an estimated six billion viewers expected to follow the 2026 World Cup and the tournament projected to contribute $41 billion to the global economy, technology is becoming inseparable from the sport itself.

If the 1998 World Cup was defined by the rise of the internet and the 2010 tournament by the growth of social media, the 2026 edition may ultimately be remembered as the World Cup where artificial intelligence became a central part of football's global ecosystem—from the biggest stadiums in the world to the smallest local pitches.