The experience of watching 2026 World Cup matches has entered a new phase, with fans now able to follow play from the perspective of the players themselves, through a three-dimensional technology that lets viewers see what stars such as Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland see on the pitch.
The Athletic, in a piece by writer Adam Hurrey, reported that the BBC has offered during the current edition of the tournament a "World Cup 3D Experience" that allows supporters to watch all matches virtually from a variety of angles for the first time.
The new experience relies on near-real-time three-dimensional reconstruction of matches, through a platform developed by a company specialising in augmented-reality technologies, giving fans the ability to choose their viewing angle rather than being limited to the traditional television picture.
The technology offers several options, including the standard broadcast angle, a tactical bird's-eye view from above the pitch, a follow-cam behind a specific player, and — the most distinctive option — a player's-eye view that makes the fan feel as though they are seeing through the player's own eyes.
The experience has revealed details that were not clearly visible in television coverage, such as Erling Haaland's goal against Iraq, which can be followed from the perspective of goalkeeper Jalal Hassan at the moment the Norwegian striker bore down on him at a speed of 32 kilometres per hour before scoring.
The experience extended to other moments, including watching the penalty Lionel Messi missed against Austria from the Argentine star's own perspective, as well as Sadio Mané's challenge on Kylian Mbappé and João Neves's header for Portugal.
The Athletic noted that the service recorded more than 1 million uses during the first week of the World Cup, even though the BBC had not promoted it heavily before the tournament, choosing to wait and gauge audience reaction to the new experience.
The technology works by drawing on the data used in the semi-automated offside system, with around 30 cameras installed inside each stadium operating at 100 frames per second to track the movements of players and the ball with precision, before converting thousands of data points into a virtual three-dimensional version of the action.
The technology captures movement data for all 22 players as well as the referee, recording fine details such as body movement, footwork, and the direction each player is facing, allowing shots to be reconstructed in a form closer to what actually happens on the pitch.
The experience is still in its development stages and faces certain limitations, including a roughly 30-second delay between the virtual broadcast and the live event, as well as an inability to fully convey the atmosphere of the crowd and real-world details. Nevertheless, it offers fans a different way to relive key moments.
Emmanuelle Roger, co-founder and chief executive of the augmented-reality technology company, confirmed that the goal of the technology is to give the viewer the freedom to choose their position inside the stadium and access viewing angles that cannot be obtained through traditional television coverage.
The company believes the next step could be even more advanced — a true three-dimensional video that allows a viewer to freeze a moment and move around it, rather than being limited to a virtual reconstruction of the players, in an attempt to chart a new future for watching football.