How Chinese Technology and Manufacturing Are Powering the 2026 World Cup
Friday, 2026/07/03195 words3 minutes2196 reads
Although China's national team won't compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Chinese companies are playing a major role in the tournament through technology and manufacturing.
Lenovo serves as FIFA's official technology partner, providing devices, servers and AI-based systems. One key innovation is Football AI Pro, an analytical tool available to all 48 teams. Coaches can ask questions in plain language and receive reports and strategic insights. FIFA reports the system has been used in 15 languages, giving smaller teams access to advanced analysis previously available mainly to wealthy organizations.
Lenovo also helped create 3D avatars of all 1,248 players for semi-automated offside decisions. Another innovation is Referee View, using a lightweight camera worn by referees with stabilization software to show the action from their perspective.
Hisense, another Chinese sponsor, provides television technology and screens for video assistant referee systems. Meanwhile, factories in Yiwu have produced billions of yuan worth of World Cup merchandise including footballs, scarves and flags.
This involvement shows how Chinese companies have evolved from simple merchandise suppliers to providers of core tournament technology, demonstrating that countries can participate in global sporting events through manufacturing and innovation rather than just athletic competition.
