Broadcasting the FIFA World Cup

Broadcasting the FIFA World Cup has always been one of the toughest assignments in live television. But in 2026, that assignment is expected to reach a new level. For the first time, the tournament will unfold across three nations: Canada, Mexico and the United States, stretching thousands of miles from Vancouver to Kansas City to Guadalajara.

Behind this enormous feat will lie a complex web of infrastructure and detailed coordination. In order to deliver transcontinental coverage like this, an unprecedented
degree of logistical planning and technological adaptability is required to manage vast distances, unsettled political systems and time zones. Not to worry, we’re here to dive into the foundational tools due to underpin this significant media-technology milestone.

Building the foundations

Matrox Video is one of the companies at the forefront of powering coverage for large-scale events like the World Cup. The company plays a foundational but often invisible role by providing the infrastructure that moves, processes and distributes video signals reliably at massive scale.

“Rather than producing the broadcast itself, Matrox Video technologies power the systems that broadcasters, service providers and production partners rely on to deliver those broadcasts to billions of viewers,” begins Francesco Scartozzi, VP of sales and business development at Matrox Video.

Historically, Matrox Video has played this role by enabling the ecosystem of broadcast manufacturers whose products are used throughout major events – supplying the high-performance video I/O technology embedded inside replay systems, graphics engines, media servers, multiviewers and other critical production tools. “In that sense, Matrox Video has long powered the technical foundation of the broadcast industry behind the scenes,” says Scartozzi.

With Matrox ORIGIN, however, the company is moving beyond solving individual technical requirements and is now helping enable entire production workflows. “Matrox ORIGIN provides a software framework,” adds Scartozzi. “That framework allows broadcasters, OEM partners and system integrators to build scalable media services – from multi-signal ingest and master control switching to format conversion, recording and multi-destination distribution.”

Rather than just powering hardware for major events, Matrox Video is now helping design the software-defined infrastructure for next-generation large-scale productions. “Matrox ORIGIN enables a Dynamic Media Facility (DMF), where resources can run on-premises, in the cloud or in hybrid environments, scaling up for global events such as the World Cup and then scaling down again afterward. While Matrox Video has historically powered the broadcast industry under the hood, Matrox ORIGIN allows the company to play a more strategic role by enabling the entire workflow architecture modern live production will depend on.”

Technical tactics

Producing a global sporting event involves the meticulous coordination of distributed teams, often working across different time zones, infrastructures and network environments.

One of the biggest technical challenges is ensuring that video signals, audio and production data remain synchronised across geographically dispersed systems. “Even small delays or inconsistencies can disrupt live production workflows or lead to mismatches between commentary, graphics overlays and video feeds,” says Scartozzi.

IP-based architectures help address this dilemma. They enable centralised management of video signals and metadata across distributed environments. “Modern broadcast devices support a wide range of transport formats, including uncompressed ST 2110 and compressed streaming protocols such as SRT, allowing production teams to adapt their workflows based on bandwidth availability and latency requirements.”

Another difficulty lies in balancing flexibility with reliability. “Cloud production workflows offer the ability to scale resources dynamically depending on the size of an event, but not all workloads are suited to full cloud deployment,” explains Scartozzi. “As a result, broadcasters are adopting hybrid architectures that combine on-premises infrastructure with cloud-based processing.”

This hybrid approach allows production teams to run latency-sensitive tasks locally – such as switching or monitoring – while leveraging cloud resources for distribution, analysis or secondary content production.

Another key shift affecting modern sports broadcasting is the growth in remote production. Instead of deploying full production teams at every venue, broadcasters can now centralise key roles. This in turn reduces travel requirements, while allowing teams to share resources across multiple matches. This is particularly valuable for an event as large-scale and geographically dispersed as the 2026 World Cup.

“Instead of relying on fixed hardware installations, broadcasters can orchestrate resources dynamically across on-premises systems, cloud platforms and remote production hubs,” he says. “This shift also aligns with emerging industry frameworks such as the Dynamic Media Facility (DMF), which reimagines broadcast infrastructure as a network of software-based media services that can be deployed and scaled on demand.”

Immersive entertainment

There is a growing expectation among football fans that technology will bring them closer to the action, no matter where they are watching it.

“Fans want to see something new and exciting wrapped around the action, while the venues and broadcasters are under pressure to deliver,” says Jake Stone, SVP of commercial at Disguise.

For many, being a live fan is no longer just about watching the football, it’s also about the added value of more participatory experiences. “New and emerging stadium and broadcast technologies are helping to build momentum,” he adds. “This includes the rollout of large-scale LED canvases, projection, real-time data graphics and AR overlays, which enable venues to create dynamic environments that evolve alongside the action on the pitch.”

Displayed in real time, these technologies can allow teams and venues to display player tracking, statistics and contextual information, among various other options, during the match. “All of this contributes to the overall sense of fan engagement, including the overlays accompanying VAR decisions, and it plays into the massive growth in interest in football-related data seen in recent years,” says Stone.

Stone shows that the role of these technologies is not to alter the live experience but to amplify what makes it special, including the energy of the crowd and the big, shared moments during the tournament. “By investing in this technology, stadiums are able to transform into year-round entertainment destinations with the ability to host other live events and maximise revenue opportunities, as well as providing an elevated experience for fans.”

Today’s fans arrive expecting more than a seat in the arena. This is particularly evident in the United States, where sports venues increasingly incorporate entertainment (music, halftime shows, fan cams, themed food, etc), technology and interactive elements to enhance the live event experience.

As a result, the industry is shifting the dial on the quality and depth of immersion that venues can deliver. “It’s not just a matter of providing a space; fan expectation has shifted from passive spectatorship to active participation, where the venue itself becomes part of the storytelling and the crowd becomes part of the experience,” says Stone.

Stone points to the example of stadium owners investing in large LED screens and visual canvases that allow fans to access detailed visuals and information from any seat in the venue. “Rendering technology is now also powerful enough to support high-resolution content at a large scale, wrapping around more of the stadium for an elevated visual experience.”

According to Stone, there are several important innovations to keep an eye on this year, particularly in stadiums where owners are investing in broadcast-quality and fail-safe AV infrastructure. “This includes larger LED screens and jumbotrons capable of displaying high-res visuals at unprecedented scale and quality, supported by advances in rendering technologies, while projection mapping is making playing surfaces more dynamic and responsive than ever.”

When the World Cup comes

If one thing’s for sure, broadcasters are intent on finding new ways to bring viewers closer to the excitement. Production technologies are also evolving to meet those expectations at home, with an estimated 5.8 billion people tuning in from around the globe. The FIFA World Cup is frequently the most watched sporting event in the world and, with the number of teams taking part, it’s expected to break records.

“Looking ahead, AI will play an increasingly important role as the fan experience becomes more personalised and viewers are offered more ways to get involved,” says Stone.

Scartozzi argues that the scale and complexity of global sporting events will continue to grow. “As audiences demand more personalised content, more camera angles and richer data overlays, broadcast infrastructures must evolve to support increasingly dynamic production models,” he says.

Innovation is also transforming stadiums. “Sports venues see a major business opportunity to create more sustainable business models that also enable brand partners to push creative boundaries,” says Stone. “For example, interactive fan experiences and digital visual surfaces can support premium brand partnerships, generating significant new revenue opportunities. For those of us buying tickets, we are treated to enhanced sporting and entertainment experiences that live long in the memory. Done well, it’s a win-win-win for venues, advertisers and fans alike.”

This article appeared in our NAB 2026 issue