FIFA World Cup 2026 Showcases Lasting Tech Innovations

WHO:

Fast Company - Spain and Argentina are competing in the FIFA World Cup championship.

TechCrunch - Hisense is the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the Official VAR Review TV Provider.

TechCrunch - FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the VAR Room to experience Hisense technology.

WHAT:

Fast Company - More than 75% of the world’s population was expected to engage with the World Cup in some way.

Fast Company - World Cup ticket prices rose about 1,000% on average from the last tournament in 1994.

Fast Company - The U.S. federal government committed more than $1 billion to World Cup security.

Fast Company - At least $500 million of the security budget went to a Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems program.

TechCrunch - Hisense RGB MiniLED technology is used in the VAR Room for video assistant referees to determine plays.

TechCrunch - The first-ever VAR overturn occurred during a Group D match between the United States and Paraguay.

WHERE:

Fast Company - The World Cup is being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

TechCrunch - The official International Broadcast Centre (IBC) is located in Dallas.

TechCrunch - Hisense has a pop-up activation at New York’s Hudson Yards.

WHEN:

TechCrunch - The VAR Room witnessed its first-ever VAR overturn during a Group D match.

TechCrunch - Hisense RGB MiniLED technology was showcased at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

WHY:

Fast Company - FIFA kept fans in the dark about ticketing details, leading to investigations by state attorneys general in New York and New Jersey.

Fast Company - Industry experts indicated that problems with ticket sales may have stemmed from speculative sellers on third-party marketplaces.

HOW:

Fast Company - AI was used to analyze stadium operations and predict tournament outcomes.

Fast Company - Lenovo deployed an AI system providing teams with access to over 2,000 soccer-specific metrics.

TechCrunch - Hisense RGB MiniLED technology employs independent RGB primary light sources for superior color accuracy and motion clarity.

(UPDATED July 18, 2026 12:11 UTC)

Spain and Argentina are currently competing in the FIFA World Cup championship, which is being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Hisense is the official sponsor of the tournament and has introduced its RGB MiniLED technology in the VAR Room, where the first-ever VAR overturn took place during a Group D match between the United States and Paraguay. Meanwhile, more than 75% of the world's population is expected to engage with the World Cup, while ticket prices have skyrocketed by about 1,000% since the last tournament in 1994, prompting investigations into ticketing issues by state attorneys general in New York and New Jersey.