La Liga Integrates Connected Ball Technology for All Matches
La Liga will become the first national football competition to deploy Connected Ball technology across all its matches starting in August 2026. The innovation aims to enhance accuracy, transparency, and the fan experience.
Key takeaways
- La Liga will integrate Connected Ball technology into all its matches starting August 2026.
- This innovation aims to enhance the accuracy and transparency of refereeing decisions.
- The technology will also improve the audiovisual experience for fans and broadcasters.
- It is a collaborative effort involving La Liga, PUMA, KINEXON, and the CTA.
What Happened
Beginning in August 2026, all La Liga EA Sports matches will feature "Connected Ball" technology, marking La Liga as the first national professional football competition globally to implement this system on a large scale. This technology will work in conjunction with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT).
The initiative is a collaboration between La Liga, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), PUMA, and KINEXON. It involves a radio-frequency sensor embedded in the official PUMA match ball, developed by KINEXON. This sensor transmits real-time data on the ball's position and precise moment of contact. Approximately twelve antennas installed in each stadium capture this data.
Why It Matters
The Connected Ball technology aims to increase objectivity and accuracy in refereeing decisions, particularly in situations involving offside, handball, deflections, and touches. It will provide objective data to support key calls, reducing uncertainty by capturing events that happen in milliseconds. For broadcasters and fans, the technology is expected to enhance the audiovisual experience by providing more information to aid understanding and increase excitement, though data will be strategically shared.
Beyond refereeing and broadcast enhancements, the system will create xBALL, La Liga's new official data layer, intended to serve as a foundation for future innovations in broadcasting, digital technology, and match analysis. Coaching staff will also benefit from new metrics such as ball speeds and touches.
Key Facts
- La Liga will deploy Connected Ball technology across all its matches starting in August 2026.
- This makes La Liga the world's first national professional football competition to implement this technology on a large scale.
- The technology was developed in collaboration with PUMA and KINEXON, and the CTA.
- A radio-frequency sensor is integrated into the PUMA match ball, transmitting data via antennas in each stadium.
- The system aims to improve accuracy and transparency in refereeing decisions and enhance the fan viewing experience.
Background
The Connected Ball technology has been tested extensively, with validation tests and blind trials confirming that the integrated sensor does not alter the ball's performance or playing characteristics. The sensor contains an accelerometer and gyroscope, requires charging, and can transmit 560 signals per second for positioning and 100 signals per second for position tracking.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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