Technology, Patents, and Sport

This summer, on June 11, the opening game of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to take place. Due to an expansion of the number of teams, this will be the largest edition of the tournament so far, involving 48 nations (with England, Germany, Sweden, and the USA providing representation for almost all EIP branches). An enormous number of eyes will be focused not only on some of the world’s most talented athletes, but also—albeit perhaps unintentionally—on the technology behind modern sport. From the equipment to the refereeing, innovation and technology play a crucial role in the world of football, and in sport generally. This article will explore the roles of patents and intellectual property protection in the modernization of sport.

Why "IP and Sports" became a global theme

Each year, the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) organizes World IP Day, and this year the theme was: “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate”. The emphasis on intellectual property as a driver of creativity, innovation, and development in the sporting world is understandable given the expanding role of technology across various aspects of most sports. It is not only about using the latest technology to be competitive at the highest level, but also about increasing fairness in rule enforcement, and improving the experience of the viewers.  

On the pitch: VAR, goal-line technology, and AI player avatars

In football especially, the introduction of technology as a means for assisting the referees has been received with varying degrees of enthusiasm, to say the least. While there are valid reasons for criticizing the way of implementing technologies such as goal-line technology (GLT), Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR), and semi automated offside technology (SAOT), these developments illustrate the technological aspect of football. This summer, the World Cup will also implement AI enabled 3D player avatars, created through body scans of the players, to further enhance the SAOT system. As the technologies develop, the challenge and opportunity will be to deploy them in ways that strengthen officiating accuracy, while preserving the passion and emotions that define the sport.

However, these technologies will not improve organically or in isolation. Improvements are the results of research and development, significant investment, and close collaboration between engineers, entrepreneurs, sport associations, and broadcasters, which is where intellectual property comes in. Developing reliable systems for real‑time sensing, imaging, and data processing requires long development projects and substantial resources, often with no guarantee of immediate success. In this context, patent protection plays an important role by providing inventors and companies with the confidence to invest in innovation, share technology, and continue refining solutions that can improve both the accuracy and the overall experience of the game.

As sport continues to modernize and becomes increasingly technological, the importance of patents and other intellectual property rights grows. Clubs and players across all sports rely heavily on advanced equipment, sensor systems, and data-driven platforms to collect player statistics and performance metrics, allowing for workload analysis, training optimization, and injury risk reduction. These examples include wearable tracking systems used by elite clubs to monitor player workload, and injury prediction platforms, which are both dependent on patented technical solutions. The development and refinement of such technologies, as well as access to the latest solutions, can therefore have a direct impact on player performance, availability, and long term health. As the demand for continued innovation grows, the need for effective patent protection and a thoughtful IP strategy in the sporting world may increase even further.

A patent strategy that keeps pace with the game

In elite sport, as in many other fields, innovation increasingly determines success. Patents and other intellectual property rights constitute a framework for turning technological advances into reliable solutions, and helping to ensure that innovation not only continues, but continues to improve outcomes for fairness, performance, and player welfare. While it may be more captivating to focus on the teams, goals, and winners this summer, one may also consider admiring the innovation and technological development behind the world’s biggest sporting event. From an IP perspective, sport offers an example of how a successful patent strategy actively supports progress, and at EIP we are well prepared to assist with IP matters across all sectors, sport included.

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