FIFA and Hawk-Eye Innovations have announced a joint venture that will see the organisations come together to establish the Football Technology Center.
The project plans to ‘explore and develop emerging technologies in football with a focus on the generation of algorithms to automate the detection of on-pitch events for optimal decision-making.’
Besides the automated collection of event data, the collaboration will involve the development of automated offside technology. The tech uses skeletal and object tracking capabilities to monitor the exact location of the ball and all the players limbs to establish the most accurate offside call.
The deal strengthens the relationship between the two organisations who have been collaborating since 2017.
FIFA Secretary General, Mattias Grafström, said, “This joint venture is just another example of the extent to which FIFA is harnessing the use of technology to optimize football operations and to play a leading role in technological developments for the benefit of our 211 member associations.”
“It will have a positive impact across football as it will help to automate the provision of valuable information, facilitate decision-making processes and ultimately improve the football experience for all stakeholders.”
Hawk-Eye is part of Sony’s sports businesses, which also includes digital specialist Pulselive and immersive data visualisation firm Beyond Sports.
Rufus Hack, Chief Executive Officer at Hawk-Eye, added, “Given the highly competitive nature of Football and the constant evolution in the sports technology industry, Hawk-Eye continues to consider the future with a strategic approach. We’re incredibly proud to collaborate with FIFA on this joint venture, to continue creating innovative solutions that will make the beautiful game more understandable, precise, fair, and exciting for everyone at all levels of football.”
“The creation of the Football Technology Center is a natural evolution of our relationship with FIFA and will leverage technology and AI to pave the way for the future of football officiating, performance and fan engagement.”
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