With a simple tap of your finger, you can successfully purchase tickets; with a lift of your wrist, you can obtain penalty decisions; through your phone, you can receive tactical analyses... As a football feast spanning three countries and 16 cities, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is destined to become a global focal point.

Recently, the first round of ticket applications for this tournament has officially launched. As the largest World Cup in history, tickets for this tournament are extremely sought after. In the words of FIFA President Infantino, these tickets are "the hottest commodity in global sports."

To achieve fairness and intelligence in ticket purchasing, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has ushered in an "intelligent revolution" in its ticketing mechanism. This represents both FIFA's new attempt to adapt to the North American market and an experiment to popularize stadium attendance for more fans. This also means that this premier international tournament, carrying the passion and expectations of billions of fans worldwide, has officially entered the countdown to the "AI era."

As FIFA's first official technology partner in its century-long history, Lenovo Group has already provided end-to-end technical support for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and will do the same for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, working with FIFA to jointly launch a smarter, fairer, and more exciting new era of "AI+Football."

In October 2024, Lenovo Group announced its partnership as FIFA's official technology partner.

Ticketing Revolution: From "Tickets Hard to Come By" to Fair and Inclusive Access

FIFA World Cup tickets have always been the most difficult hurdle for fans to overcome.

During the 2018 Russia World Cup, a Moscow travel agency created the largest fake ticket scandal in history; during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, a ticket originally priced at $5,850 was scalped for over $14,000. Rampant scalping and counterfeit tickets, with "tickets being hard to come by" have almost become the jarring discord behind every FIFA World Cup.

Unlike previous tournaments, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has ushered in an "intelligent revolution" in its ticketing mechanism. This tournament is the first to adopt an innovative "lottery + deposit" model, effectively alleviating ticket purchasing congestion and scalper speculation. Meanwhile, relying on electronic ticketing system upgrades and AI dynamic pricing strategies, the tournament has achieved fairness and intelligence in the ticket purchasing process. This transformation has completely refreshed fans' ticket purchasing experience—shifting from past "queuing anxiety" to today's "fair access."

Through these innovations, FIFA World Cup tickets are no longer exclusive to a select few, but give more ordinary fans the opportunity to reach their dreams. The new ticket purchasing process design allows fans to experience a sense of ceremony closely connected to the FIFA World Cup at every stage. From the anticipation during the lottery, to submitting the deposit, to the tension of limited purchase time, each moment deeply binds emotions with the tournament's charm, making hearts race even before the games begin.

First AI World Cup: The "Technical Test" from Concept to Implementation

Artificial intelligence's impact on the World Cup extends far beyond ticketing, penetrating into the core of the competition.

The Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) first deployed at the 2022 Qatar World Cup was a typical example of AI application. In the Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia match, Argentine player Lautaro Martinez's goal was ruled invalid for being 1.5 centimeters offside, with the SAOT system generating a 3D animation explanation in just 2.8 seconds. After the match, Argentina coach Scaloni helplessly stated that offside calls had become accurate to the "millimeter level," and although the result was disappointing, technology had made the decision, and they had to accept it.

Now, with the addition of Lenovo Group as FIFA's first official technology partner, the AI intensity of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be further enhanced. It is understood that Lenovo is jointly exploring technological evolution pathways with FIFA, committed to building a complete "intelligence + sports" future paradigm. Through seamless integration of tournament processes and providing end-to-end technical support, Lenovo will work with FIFA to advance the first "AI World Cup" from concept to reality.

It is reported that during next year's FIFA World Cup, Lenovo will provide comprehensive hardware support including ThinkPad laptops, tablets, Motorola phones, and servers, and based on hybrid AI architecture, will deeply participate in the technical design and deployment of key areas such as event content production, intelligent operations, data collection, and real-time officiating.

Arthur Hu, Senior Vice President of Lenovo Group, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Technology and Delivery Officer of Solutions and Services Group, previously stated: "We are proud to work with FIFA to present the first AI World Cup, enhancing tournament standards through technology, improving global fan experiences, and accelerating innovation to promote fair competition." He emphasized that by helping FIFA improve technical response speed and system stability, Lenovo's AI technology solutions will become key foundations for achieving "intelligent operations" in future major sporting events.

From Club World Cup to World Cup: AI Shining on the Digital Pitch

During this year's FIFA Club World Cup, Lenovo has already led artificial intelligence, this "magician," in its initial trial, accumulating practical experience for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As an official partner, Lenovo and its subsidiary Motorola will provide AI PCs, tablets, workstations, and Motorola smartphones and other intelligent devices and service solutions to FIFA and all participating teams, comprehensively supporting event operations, content collection, collaborative communication, and on-site support. Motorola has also deployed the new 2025 moto razr series foldable phones, using innovative sideline filming technology to present exclusive perspectives to global audiences during specific matches.

Lenovo, together with Motorola, is deeply participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

It can be foreseen that whether it's the intelligent upgrade of ticketing systems or real-time data analysis on the field, AI is redefining the relationship between people and competition. In this technological transformation, Lenovo, as FIFA's official technology partner, will open unprecedented AI possibilities for next year's FIFA World Cup.

The deep integration of AI technology with football has made the FIFA World Cup not just a sporting spectacle, but a perfect example of the fusion of technology and experience. It has enhanced global fan participation while making event organization, referee decisions, and data analysis more efficient and smooth. Although some worry whether technology might dilute football's original passion, facts prove that the introduction of intelligence and AI has never replaced people's purest love for the game, but rather made it more stable and trustworthy.

"There is no magic in reality; football is real," as football master Jose Mourinho once said, expressing the most authentic charm of this sport. However, as artificial intelligence begins to deeply integrate into the pitch, the boundaries between reality and magic are gradually blurring—AI, like an invisible magician, is quietly composing football's intelligent new chapter.

When the whistle blows and the football starts rolling, goals, tears, and cheers—those eternal souls of football have never changed. In 2026, AI, this invisible magician, will step into the spotlight at the most magnificent FIFA World Cup in history, casting intelligent magic about new "AI+Football" possibilities. From ticketing to the pitch, AI's deep involvement is also leading football toward a fairer and more intelligent new era.