The 80s brought us the floppy disc. The 90s brought us the CD. The 2000s (and beyond) ditched all that for the smartphone – and that’s where most of us remain, accessing info about the upcoming World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico via apps.
This summer’s event will embrace technology in a brand-new way by partnering with Lenovo, the World Cup’s inaugural Official Technology Partner. It’s not quite clear what the laptop maker’s role is, but Lenovo endeavours for a tournament with “zero downtime” and an “always-on” fan experience. Inevitably, at least some AI features are involved.
Teething Problems
As is customary by now, FIFA has released its own app to support its World Cup goals. The governing body partnered with IT company Globant at the end of 2025 to create software for multiple future tournaments. Globant’s previous clients include Spain’s La Liga and Google.
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It hasn’t quite gone to plan so far. On Google Play, the app has a 3.2 rating based on 1,515 reviews. It fares a little worse on the App Store, with a score of 1.8 from 168 reviews. Concerns focus on its usability. One Google Play user complained that it was “playing hide and seek” with their tickets.
Call it teething problems (although there’s not long left till kick-off on June 11), but the accessibility of tickets has been a bugbear for fans in the build-up to World Cup 2026. Plenty of seats are still unsold, as the cheapest go for hundreds of dollars. In April, the United States’ Sports Business Journal noted the possibility of teams playing in empty stadiums.
SEA & WIN
Most industries use apps to connect with their audiences. In fact, it’s how tourism and the World Cup collided in Seattle, a point we’ll get to shortly. The sophistication of phone software means that it’s possible to add all the functionality of a PC to a pocket-sized device.
FIFA’s World Cup app features live scores, but it’s unclear if it’ll host live content during the summer. Live streaming isn’t exactly a novelty. The gaming company Buzz Bingo provides a similar service via its bingo app, in addition to more traditional entertainment like slots and table games. Live streaming and gaming go hand-in-hand, so naturally such a globally loved sport should adopt and utilise such technology.
Speaking of Seattle, the city decided to go its own way with its World Cup app, creating a novel, ‘gamified’ piece of software for local fans. Dubbed SEA & WIN, a name the developers at the Seattle World Cup Host Committee reportedly agonised over, the app combines the World Cup with local sightseeing and the chance to win prizes.
Creative License
FIFA asked each host city to develop its own app, but it seems to have allowed for some creative license. SEA & WIN hopes to drive visitors to historical sites, art galleries and “really” small businesses. Its mission naturally brought it into competition with Seattle’s other tourism apps. The Committee hopes its game-like aspects will give it an edge.
Inevitably, there will be tens of official and unofficial apps dedicated to the World Cup, each trying to capture an audience of billions. It’s a remarkable undertaking for an event that lasts just over a month.