2026 World Cup
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Hand of God puts England into the Quarter Finals
Last 16
Mexico 2-3 England
Azteca Stadium, Mexico City
Attendance: 80,824
In what must be one of their greatest World Cup performances ever, magnificent England won at the Azteca for the first time ever to knock co-hosts Mexico out of the tournament.
Having taken a 3-2 lead England spent the remainder of the match defending heroically with 10 men to keep the Mexicans at bay to win for the first time in the stadium where Argentina's Maradona scored his infamous "Hand of God" goal against England in the 1986 World Cup.
Before this match Mexico hadn't conceded a goal in this tournament.
In a hostile and partisan stadium, from Pickford at the back to Kane at the front, England were sublime. It will be either England, France or Spain - the three favourites - who will win it.
England will play Norway in the Quarter Finals, who beat Brazil in the Last 16...
Last 16
Mexico 2-3 England
Azteca Stadium, Mexico City
Attendance: 80,824
In what must be one of their greatest World Cup performances ever, magnificent England won at the Azteca for the first time ever to knock co-hosts Mexico out of the tournament.
Having taken a 3-2 lead England spent the remainder of the match defending heroically with 10 men to keep the Mexicans at bay to win for the first time in the stadium where Argentina's Maradona scored his infamous "Hand of God" goal against England in the 1986 World Cup.
Before this match Mexico hadn't conceded a goal in this tournament.
In a hostile and partisan stadium, from Pickford at the back to Kane at the front, England were sublime. It will be either England, France or Spain - the three favourites - who will win it.
England will play Norway in the Quarter Finals, who beat Brazil in the Last 16...
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Mexico hardly ever lose at the Azteca.
Before tonight, of Mexico's 89 competitive matches at the Azteca since 1966, Mexico won 70 of them.
It's the first time England have won at that magnificent cauldron of football and the first time in a World Cup that England have knocked out the hosts.
The previous time England and Mexico played each other in a World Cup was 1966 - with England winning it and they went on to win the tournament.
Next up for England is Norway: Kane Vs the (England-born) Haaland.
Before tonight, of Mexico's 89 competitive matches at the Azteca since 1966, Mexico won 70 of them.
It's the first time England have won at that magnificent cauldron of football and the first time in a World Cup that England have knocked out the hosts.
The previous time England and Mexico played each other in a World Cup was 1966 - with England winning it and they went on to win the tournament.
Next up for England is Norway: Kane Vs the (England-born) Haaland.
After booting co-hosts Mexico out of the tournament with a masterclass defensive performance after going down to 10 men, rather appropriately the England players and fans enjoyed a rendition of "Wonderwall' by Oasis after the match.
All England have to do to win the World Cup is play as they did tonight for just three more games. That's it.
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All England have to do to win the World Cup is play as they did tonight for just three more games. That's it.
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Groundbreaking technology the quiet MVP at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Lenovo AI is the tech behind many of the pitch perfect experiences during the global football tournament
Author of the article:Marc Saltzman
Published Jul 04, 2026 • Last updated 1 day ago • 4 minute read
Lenovo FIFA 1
Innovations by Lenovo, FIFA’s Official Technology Partner, are transforming football during the 2026 World Cup by enabling precise referee decisions, supplying teams with advanced data tactics and creating highly immersive viewing experiences for fans at home. Photo by Supplied /Lenovo
FIFA World Cup fever has gripped much of Canada – joining billions of other “footy fans” around the globe – and now the nail-biting Round of 16 is officially underway.
While icons like Mbappé, Ronaldo and Messi dominate the headlines, groundbreaking technology is the quiet MVP on the pitch.
This innovation is transforming “the beautiful game” by enabling precise referee decisions, supplying teams with advanced data tactics and creating highly immersive viewing experiences for fans at home.
The proverbial curtain was pulled back for yours truly last week, as I had the opportunity to learn more about Lenovo, FIFA’s Official Technology Partner, at the company’s new offices in New York City – before seeing the tech in play at the France-Sweden match at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
While most people know of Lenovo as a laptop brand – and indeed, they’re no. 1, globally, in both units sold and revenue, says the company – they’re an $80-billion (USD) tech leader heavily invested in device infrastructure and AI-powered services, to help businesses solve real challenges.
And this includes organizations like the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
“The technology backbone running the games help to drive smarter operations for these matches, as well as enhancing the fan experience at the stadiums and while watching at home,” says Cathy Meister, Lenovo’s executive director of North America PC & Smart Device Sales.
Saltzman FIFA
Marc Saltzman had the opportunity to learn more about Lenovo, FIFA’s Official Technology Partner, at the company’s new offices in New York City, before seeing the tech in play at the France-Sweden match at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Photo by Supplied /Marc Saltzman
FIFA AI Pro
Called FIFA AI Pro, this handy tool collects from millions of pieces of data and is shared across all 48 teams who are participating in the tournament, explains Meister.
“It’s providing them with real-time analytics – insights that can help players, coaches and analysts – essentially helping to level the playing field for all of the teams, regardless of what resources that those federations may have,” she said.
As a post-match football analysis assistant, FIFA AI Pro is powered by hybrid and generative AI, fusing match data (event and tracking data), video footage and 3D visualizations, to deliver tactical insights, performance analysis, and strategic recommendations – all delivered in plain English (or many other languages).
For example, a coach can type a prompt like: “Show me all instances where our next opponent lost possession in the middle third during their last three matches.” The AI can then scour official tournament tracking and event data to instantly generate a short video montage pinpointing the opponent’s transition weaknesses.
It doesn’t stop there: the staff can ask the AI to recreate a specific goal or attacking sequence in a 3D environment, analyzing player positioning and passing options from multiple angles to design a counterstrategy.
Lenovo FIFA 2
Lenovo provides a stabilized feed using their proprietary algorithm that is capable of correcting imperfections in the original feed, most notably excessive movement in the cameras worn by referees during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Photo by Supplied /Lenovo
Referee View
“For viewers at home, RefCam technology is another really exciting one,” adds Meister. “It’s AI technology working in partnership with our broadcast centers to reduce the jitter that you see, as these refs are running very fast.”
Officially referred to as “Referee View,” it’s the footage captured by a small, lightweight video camera worn on the main official’s head that captures the referee’s point of view during matches. It has been in use for all group stage games, recording and transmitting high-definition video and audio in real-time, integrated live into the broadcast, as well as for post-match footage.
Lenovo provides a stabilized feed using their proprietary algorithm that is capable of correcting imperfections in the original feed, most notably excessive movement. The company says its technology has led to a feed with up to 60% jitter reduction and up to 70% smoother trajectory of the video with no degradation in video sharpness.
The video output remains at 1080p resolution (Full HD) at 60 frames per second, and with only three-second latency.
By the way, this tech is separate from FIFA’s VAR (Video Assistant Referee) system, which handles player tracking and offside determination, including data provided by a sensor in the ball.
(Yes, the same VAR review responsible for the decision to disallow Croatia’s critical goal against Portugal last Thursday in Toronto.)
Rather than Lenovo, VAR is powered by Hawk-Eye Innovations, a global leader in the live sports arena, and partner with FIFA since 2017. FIFA has also partnered with TV brand Hisense on its VAR system, which utilizes Hisense RGB MiniLED displays in the VAR rooms located at the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas.
3D player scans, digital twins of stadiums
Lenovo and FIFA have also collaborated on “digital avatars,” which are AI-powered 3D reconstructions of players to support match officials with offside decision-making while also giving fans at home an enhanced view of key event moments.
In fact, Lenovo created scans of all 1,248 of the participating players across all 48 teams in the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This ambitious undertaking has been hailed as a first-of-a-kind project.
Finally, Lenovo’s technology also underpins the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s “digital twins” for the 16 venues across the host countries Canada, the United States and Mexico.
These are virtual, AI-powered replicas of the physical tournament stadiums, enabling organizers to monitor crowd flow, manage security and optimize operations in real time. Fans can use connected smart wayfinding apps to navigate venues, locate empty restrooms and find the shortest concession lines.
(These venue digital twins are being upgraded for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, marking another milestone in Lenovo’s role as the Official Technology Partner for the tournament.)
Also at many of the FIFA World Cup stadiums is hologram technology, to create unique fan experiences, including selfies with mascots and players, personalized retail opportunities (like superimposing team jerseys on your body), and more.
– Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and is the author of the book, Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley)
torontosun.com
Lenovo AI is the tech behind many of the pitch perfect experiences during the global football tournament
Author of the article:Marc Saltzman
Published Jul 04, 2026 • Last updated 1 day ago • 4 minute read
Lenovo FIFA 1
Innovations by Lenovo, FIFA’s Official Technology Partner, are transforming football during the 2026 World Cup by enabling precise referee decisions, supplying teams with advanced data tactics and creating highly immersive viewing experiences for fans at home. Photo by Supplied /Lenovo
FIFA World Cup fever has gripped much of Canada – joining billions of other “footy fans” around the globe – and now the nail-biting Round of 16 is officially underway.
While icons like Mbappé, Ronaldo and Messi dominate the headlines, groundbreaking technology is the quiet MVP on the pitch.
This innovation is transforming “the beautiful game” by enabling precise referee decisions, supplying teams with advanced data tactics and creating highly immersive viewing experiences for fans at home.
The proverbial curtain was pulled back for yours truly last week, as I had the opportunity to learn more about Lenovo, FIFA’s Official Technology Partner, at the company’s new offices in New York City – before seeing the tech in play at the France-Sweden match at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
While most people know of Lenovo as a laptop brand – and indeed, they’re no. 1, globally, in both units sold and revenue, says the company – they’re an $80-billion (USD) tech leader heavily invested in device infrastructure and AI-powered services, to help businesses solve real challenges.
And this includes organizations like the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
“The technology backbone running the games help to drive smarter operations for these matches, as well as enhancing the fan experience at the stadiums and while watching at home,” says Cathy Meister, Lenovo’s executive director of North America PC & Smart Device Sales.
Saltzman FIFA
Marc Saltzman had the opportunity to learn more about Lenovo, FIFA’s Official Technology Partner, at the company’s new offices in New York City, before seeing the tech in play at the France-Sweden match at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Photo by Supplied /Marc Saltzman
FIFA AI Pro
Called FIFA AI Pro, this handy tool collects from millions of pieces of data and is shared across all 48 teams who are participating in the tournament, explains Meister.
“It’s providing them with real-time analytics – insights that can help players, coaches and analysts – essentially helping to level the playing field for all of the teams, regardless of what resources that those federations may have,” she said.
As a post-match football analysis assistant, FIFA AI Pro is powered by hybrid and generative AI, fusing match data (event and tracking data), video footage and 3D visualizations, to deliver tactical insights, performance analysis, and strategic recommendations – all delivered in plain English (or many other languages).
For example, a coach can type a prompt like: “Show me all instances where our next opponent lost possession in the middle third during their last three matches.” The AI can then scour official tournament tracking and event data to instantly generate a short video montage pinpointing the opponent’s transition weaknesses.
It doesn’t stop there: the staff can ask the AI to recreate a specific goal or attacking sequence in a 3D environment, analyzing player positioning and passing options from multiple angles to design a counterstrategy.
Lenovo FIFA 2
Lenovo provides a stabilized feed using their proprietary algorithm that is capable of correcting imperfections in the original feed, most notably excessive movement in the cameras worn by referees during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Photo by Supplied /Lenovo
Referee View
“For viewers at home, RefCam technology is another really exciting one,” adds Meister. “It’s AI technology working in partnership with our broadcast centers to reduce the jitter that you see, as these refs are running very fast.”
Officially referred to as “Referee View,” it’s the footage captured by a small, lightweight video camera worn on the main official’s head that captures the referee’s point of view during matches. It has been in use for all group stage games, recording and transmitting high-definition video and audio in real-time, integrated live into the broadcast, as well as for post-match footage.
Lenovo provides a stabilized feed using their proprietary algorithm that is capable of correcting imperfections in the original feed, most notably excessive movement. The company says its technology has led to a feed with up to 60% jitter reduction and up to 70% smoother trajectory of the video with no degradation in video sharpness.
The video output remains at 1080p resolution (Full HD) at 60 frames per second, and with only three-second latency.
By the way, this tech is separate from FIFA’s VAR (Video Assistant Referee) system, which handles player tracking and offside determination, including data provided by a sensor in the ball.
(Yes, the same VAR review responsible for the decision to disallow Croatia’s critical goal against Portugal last Thursday in Toronto.)
Rather than Lenovo, VAR is powered by Hawk-Eye Innovations, a global leader in the live sports arena, and partner with FIFA since 2017. FIFA has also partnered with TV brand Hisense on its VAR system, which utilizes Hisense RGB MiniLED displays in the VAR rooms located at the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas.
3D player scans, digital twins of stadiums
Lenovo and FIFA have also collaborated on “digital avatars,” which are AI-powered 3D reconstructions of players to support match officials with offside decision-making while also giving fans at home an enhanced view of key event moments.
In fact, Lenovo created scans of all 1,248 of the participating players across all 48 teams in the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This ambitious undertaking has been hailed as a first-of-a-kind project.
Finally, Lenovo’s technology also underpins the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s “digital twins” for the 16 venues across the host countries Canada, the United States and Mexico.
These are virtual, AI-powered replicas of the physical tournament stadiums, enabling organizers to monitor crowd flow, manage security and optimize operations in real time. Fans can use connected smart wayfinding apps to navigate venues, locate empty restrooms and find the shortest concession lines.
(These venue digital twins are being upgraded for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, marking another milestone in Lenovo’s role as the Official Technology Partner for the tournament.)
Also at many of the FIFA World Cup stadiums is hologram technology, to create unique fan experiences, including selfies with mascots and players, personalized retail opportunities (like superimposing team jerseys on your body), and more.
– Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and is the author of the book, Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley)
SALTZMAN: Groundbreaking technology the quiet MVP at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Icons like Mbappé, Ronaldo and Messi dominate the World Cup headlines, but groundbreaking technology is the quiet MVP on the pitch. Read on.
Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, 88, famous for playing serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 horror movie "Silence of the Lambs", and his Colombian wife Stella Arroyave, both showed who they wanted to win in the Mexico Vs England match.
The photo was taken before what must surely have been one England's greatest performances....
The photo was taken before what must surely have been one England's greatest performances....
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Quarter Final
Norway 1-2 England (after extra time)
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Attendance: 64,478
In sweltering heat, the Norwegians, playing in their first ever Quarter Final in a major tournament, put in a spirited performance but unfortunately for them one of England's big guns was firing on all cylinders and scored both goals.
Norway knocked out Brazil in the previous round and have now been knocked out by England.
England will play either Argentina or Switzerland in the Last 4.
It's hard to say who will win this tournament.
Norway 1-2 England (after extra time)
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Attendance: 64,478
In sweltering heat, the Norwegians, playing in their first ever Quarter Final in a major tournament, put in a spirited performance but unfortunately for them one of England's big guns was firing on all cylinders and scored both goals.
Norway knocked out Brazil in the previous round and have now been knocked out by England.
England will play either Argentina or Switzerland in the Last 4.
It's hard to say who will win this tournament.
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Three of the World Cup's four top seeds - France, Spain and England - are in the Last 4. Will the other one of the four - Argentina - join them or will they be surprised by Switzerland?
The game is about to start. The winner will face England in the Last 4.
The game is about to start. The winner will face England in the Last 4.
England players and fans celebrate reaching the Last 4 in Miami Gardens by once again singing "Wonderwall" by Oasis together.
Watched on by a proud Sir David Beckham and his children, the England players and fans enjoyed the occasion
In recent tournaments England have had "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond as their anthem. In this one it's "Wonderwall" by Oasis.
Can England get that second gold star on their shirts?
Watched on by a proud Sir David Beckham and his children, the England players and fans enjoyed the occasion
In recent tournaments England have had "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond as their anthem. In this one it's "Wonderwall" by Oasis.
Can England get that second gold star on their shirts?
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