Cricket-Inspired Technology Decides Sweden's Goal in the World Cup

Technology played a crucial role in Sweden's significant 5-1 victory over Tunisia, after Mattias Svanberg's initially disallowed goal for offside was counted. Forward Alexander Isak made a slight touch on the ball before it reached Svanberg, putting the latter in a legal position when scoring, prompting the video assistant referee team to overturn the assistant referee's decision and award the goal to Sweden.

The scene was explained to viewers through a graph similar to the famous "Snicko" technology in cricket, where a clear spike in the indicator appeared at the moment Isaac touched the ball. This technology relies on data from an electronic sensor inside the ball itself, not just on cameras, allowing for precise determination of the moment of contact.

The official World Cup ball uses "Connected Ball Technology" developed by Adidas in collaboration with FIFA and the German company "Kinexon." The ball contains a motion sensor that operates at a rate of 500 readings per second, and it assists the semi-automated offside system in determining the moment the ball is passed and detecting any slight touch that may affect refereeing decisions.

Although the displayed graph reminded many of the "Snicko" technology used in cricket, the mechanism is different. Cricket relies on sensitive microphones that capture the sound of the ball hitting the bat, while the World Cup system relies on a sensor integrated inside the ball that measures the forces acting on it. This technology contributed to granting Svanberg his first goal in the World Cup, confirming the increasing trend towards using technology to enhance the accuracy of refereeing decisions.