World Cup teams are entering an AI arms race ahead of the 2026 tournament. FIFA is providing an AI agent that any team can use, but the article asks whether shared tools will level the field or whether richer teams will still pull ahead.
AI can affect scouting, training, tactics, injury prevention, and opponent analysis. In elite sports, even small analytical advantages can matter.
The story is a useful example of AI diffusion beyond office software: competitive pressure can push adoption wherever better predictions or planning may change outcomes.