This is how biometrics and AI will change the experience of the 2026 World Cup inside and outside the stadiums

In this context, airports, immigration authorities and transport operators are incorporating biometric verification systems to speed up passenger transit. In addition, several stadiums are testing facial recognition and biometric authentication systems to speed up entry without physical tickets, prevent fraudulent resale, identify people prohibited from access and improve security at massive events.

MIRA: Maximum David: Lenovo’s artificial intelligence campaign starring Beckham

“Faced with this scenario, biometrics could become one of the key tools to manage large and complex sporting events. Experience has shown that, when integrated with digital identity, these technologies can improve security, speed up access and reinforce the traceability of viewers.”, comments Alberto Juárez, vice president of digital identity and trust services at Sovos.

In the history of the soccer World Cups, the great turning point was the use of VAR (Video Assistant Referee), officially implemented for the first time in Russia in 2018. This technology made it possible to review controversial plays using cameras and referee assistants from a control room, reducing human errors in key decisions such as penalties, goals or expulsions.

In the last tournament held in Qatar in 2022, semi-automatic offside was introduced, a technology based on artificial intelligence, high-precision cameras and sensors inside the ball. This system analyzed up to 29 points on each player’s body, allowing advanced positions to be detected in seconds, which significantly reduced play review time and increased the precision of referee decisions.

In addition, the World Cup in Qatar marked the consolidation of smart stadiums, equipped with advanced crowd monitoring systems, digital access control and video analysis with artificial intelligence. The Hayya Card system, linked to fans’ tickets and personal data, functioned as a mandatory digital credential to enter the country, access stadiums and use public transportation. This infrastructure integrated identity verification, biometric controls at airports and completely digitalized entrances, allowing millions of attendees to be managed with automated control and security processes.

As football prepares for the next World Cup with increasingly digitalized stadiums, several Latin American countries are already testing biometric identification systems for fan access.

In Juárez’s opinion, these technologies seek to combat historical problems such as violence in stands or the entry of people prohibited from attending sporting events.

For example, in Brazil, Allianz Parque, one of the most modern stadiums in São Paulo, implemented a digital access system based on dynamic QR codes. With this technology, fans can purchase their tickets online and access the stadium directly from their mobile phones, without the need to print physical tickets.

Argentina, with the “Secure Tribune” program, uses national databases to cross-reference biometric information in real time. In 2023 alone, there were more than 3,500 people prevented from entering matches by court order.

Other countries in the region, such as Colombia and Mexico, have also experimented with digital validation systems at massive events. Festivals such as Estéreo Picnic and Vive Latino have tested biometric entries and advance validations through mobile applications.

“Stadiums in Latin America are evolving towards intelligent models that integrate multiple technological layers within the same ecosystem. We will soon see how multibiometrics, digital registration prior to the event and analytics based on artificial intelligence will allow us to validate identities in seconds and manage large volumes of attendees with greater precision. These solutions, which are expected at the 2026 World Cup, not only reinforce security and optimize the operation of massive events by reducing friction in access, but also reflect a deeper change: digital identity is ceasing to be solely a control or compliance tool and becoming a key trust infrastructure within digital and physical ecosystems.”explains the Sovos expert.

In these massive scenarios, this becomes especially visible: identity stops being just a checkpoint and becomes part of the infrastructure that allows managing mobility, access, security and experience of millions of people in real time.