Full of technology! Qatar World Cup, cool

The long-awaited 2022 Qatar World Cup is coming soon.

The World Cup, scheduled to be held from November 20 to December 18, will be full of many "firsts". First, this is the first time that an Arab country has hosted the World Cup; second, this is the first time that the World Cup will be held in the "off-season"; and finally, this is the first time that all venues are within an hour's drive - this is definitely good news for all fans who travel to Qatar to watch the live games.

All of this will make the Qatar World Cup a "can't miss" event, but there is another factor that will make it even more brilliant: innovative technology. Football fans will not only enjoy exciting game scenes, but also embrace a unique high-tech experience.

New revolutionary ball handling and semi-automatic offside technology

The Qatar World Cup will introduce "Al Rihla" (meaning "the journey" in Arabic), a new and revolutionary style of football.

The DreamRunner is equipped with an adidas suspension system that includes an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor that can detect serious offside incidents. The sensor is located in the center of the ball and sends data about the ball to the video operations room 500 times per second, allowing very precise detection of the kick point.

There will also be technological innovations on the pitch. FIFA has announced that it will use semi-automatic offside technology during the Qatar World Cup. This will be a support tool for referees, helping them to make accurate, fast and repeatable offside decisions during matches. The new technology will be installed with 12 tracking cameras around the stadium. Every time the ball is passed to a player in an offside position, the technology will automatically send an offside alert to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), eliminating the need for lengthy VAR replays to determine if the player is offside.

Advanced stadium cooling technology

Although the World Cup is held from November to December, the temperature in the Gulf region is still likely to reach around 25-30 degrees Celsius. In order to reduce the temperature to 18-24 degrees Celsius, the stadium is equipped with cooling technology and a retractable roof to provide athletes and fans with a more comfortable playing and viewing environment.

Seven of the eight stadiums at the tournament use advanced cooling technology to keep the stadiums pleasantly cool. The only one that doesn't use the technology is the naturally ventilated 974 Stadium, which doesn't require cooling thanks to its proximity to the coast.

There will be an energy center near the stadium, from which cold water will be transported to the venue through pipes. Ventilators are installed around the football field and under the audience seats. During the game, cold air will be continuously pushed from the vents to the field and the audience area. This system mainly uses the heat energy converted from solar energy for cooling, and the cold air is circulated throughout the stadium through pipes. This is also the first time such technology has been used.

The unique retractable roof also significantly improves the cooling process, meaning that the water and energy usage required for the air conditioning system is not overburdened. The retractable roof can also be closed in case of bad weather.

Assistive technology that allows everyone to experience the event

Accessibility is an important factor at all events, and the World Cup is no exception.

Even visually impaired fans can enjoy the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. To make the Qatar World Cup more inclusive and accessible, tournament organizers have adopted the world's first Braille entertainment platform, Bonocle, which provides all assistive technologies for visually impaired people to access digital content. It has transcoding capabilities to support visually impaired people so that they can enjoy the event like everyone else, while also improving their ability to travel around Doha.

Another technology, Feelix Palm, will also be used at the Qatar World Cup. It uses electrical impulses to deliver Braille-like messages to the visually impaired through a tactile palm communicator, but without restricting their body movement or hearing.

The venue also has a sensory viewing room to provide a safe and calm space for young people with autism or sensory processing issues, equipped with interactive projection, controllable lighting and other toys to help them enjoy the game in a comfortable environment.

Sustainable sports stadium

The 974 Stadium, one of the venues for the 2022 World Cup, may no longer exist after the World Cup.

That’s because Stadium 974 is the first fully demountable stadium in World Cup history. It’s named after the number of recyclable shipping containers used in its construction, and also represents Qatar’s international telephone code.

The stadium was built using containers and modular steel frames, which uses less material than traditional stadiums, is more visually appealing and cost-effective. After the World Cup, the 40,000-seat temporary venue will be dismantled and donated to less developed countries in Africa.

Of course, the 974 Stadium is not the only stadium being transformed. Another 170,000 seats will be donated to countries in need of sports infrastructure, most of which come from the World Cup final venue Lusail Stadium, which will be converted into schools, shops, cafes, sports facilities and health clinics; the entire upper-level seats of the 60,000-capacity Al Bayit Stadium will also be donated, and the box level will be turned into a five-star hotel.

Convenient digital facilities and apps

Fans will be able to order food from their seats in the stadium. With the help of a smartphone app, food can be delivered directly to their seats, so as long as fans don't look down to order food when the ball goes into the net, they won't miss any goals.

Tournament organizers want to ensure that fans are always connected, and all venues are equipped with El Palm pavilions with wind turbines powered by solar panels, which not only provide shade for fans, but also provide USB charging stations and Wi-Fi access.

A series of sensors around Doha will provide real-time information to help fans get to and from the stadiums. Transportation information for taxis, car parks, subway systems and stadium entrances will be pushed instantly through a custom app, and easy navigation inside the stadiums will be possible.

Athlete app that can check on the performance on the court

In addition to fans, athletes participating in the World Cup will also be able to gain insights into their on-pitch performances through an app (FIFA Player App).

This is the first time that the app has been used at the World Cup. It was developed in line with FIFA's 2020-2023 vision, which aims to use technology to further improve football. In cooperation with the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO), it will provide each player with a service to view their performance data on the field shortly after each game.

Source: Science and Technology Daily

Science and Technology Daily reporter Zhang Mengran