Spain secured a 2-0 victory over France in the first semi-final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Dallas on July 15, Beijing time, marking the nation's second trip to the World Cup final in its history, following its 2010 appearance.
The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute when Yamal earned a penalty in the box. Oyarzabal converted the spot-kick into the top right corner. The lead was doubled in the 58th minute as Porro calmly finished a one-on-one opportunity. France attempted to mount a comeback but could not alter the scoreline, ultimately bowing out in the semi-finals.
Spain has claimed the first spot in the final and will await the winner of the match between England and Argentina. With France's elimination, Kylian Mbappé's World Cup journey has also concluded. The other semi-final will see England face Argentina, with the victor set to challenge Spain for the 2026 World Cup title.
With only two matches remaining, the tournament is at the pivotal moment where the champion will be decided. Every detail, from team tactics and in-game decisions to key officiating calls and event operations, influences the final outcome. At the 2026 World Cup, dubbed the "first AI World Cup," these critical moments are being supported, facilitated, and presented by artificial intelligence technology.
As FIFA's Official Technology Partner, Lenovo Group has leveraged its end-to-end, full-stack AI capabilities to build a comprehensive technical framework for this tournament. This system covers team preparation, match operations, officiating explanations, broadcast production, and fan engagement, with all AI solutions running consistently and reliably.
Regarding team preparation, the FIFA AI Pro World Cup Football AI Super Agent developed by Lenovo continues to provide tactical support to participating teams. The platform can process millions of data points in real-time, analyzing over 2,000 match metrics. It compresses post-match analysis that previously took two days into under two hours, aiding coaching staff in swiftly conducting match reviews, opponent analysis, and tactical planning. As the competition reaches its final stage, the AI continues to serve the remaining teams, offering data-driven support for the ultimate championship battle.
In the areas of broadcast and officiating explanations, Lenovo's 3D digital human visualization technology has been deployed across all matches of this World Cup. It has created digital models for all 1,263 participating players, using 3D animation to intuitively recreate key scenarios like player positioning, physical contact, and offside calls, making complex decisions more transparent and understandable. During officiating reviews in this match, the 3D digital avatar of Yamal was also utilized.
Lenovo's in-house developed Referee View AI Video Enhancement System continues to capture crucial moments in the knockout stages. Through AI-powered real-time stabilization and image enhancement, the previously shaky first-person footage from the referee's high-speed sprinting has become stable and clear, allowing global fans an up-close view of rapid attacks, box confrontations, and last-minute goals.
Reportedly, this system has applied for two core patents. It can reduce the industry-standard video processing latency of 6 to 15 seconds to under 2 seconds, achieving an average 50% and peak 70% stabilization effect, while keeping the proportion of cropped shaky footage below 11%. This ensures the referee's first-person view truly meets the global broadcast standards of the World Cup.
On the operational front, the Intelligent Command Centre, supported by Lenovo, continues to serve FIFA's core operations. Latest data shows the centre had 170 active users yesterday. The system uses AI to generate operational reports with predictive planning and, combined with capabilities like venue digital twins, conducts real-time monitoring of event operations. This helps the operations team perform data analysis, match scheduling, and management decisions more efficiently.
Furthermore, Lenovo AI continues to enhance the fan viewing experience. To date, the Hologram interactive feature has facilitated over 6,318 selfie interactions, consistently delivering a more immersive and engaging event experience for global fans. The Smart Wayfinding service also continues to assist fans, media, and event staff, ensuring the World Cup is more than just 90 minutes on the pitch—it's a comprehensive digital experience covering travel, viewing, interaction, and services.
With Spain advancing to the final, the mystery of this World Cup champion is about to be solved. Lenovo AI will continue to support team preparation, event operations, broadcast production, and fan experience with increasingly intelligent, efficient, and stable technological capabilities, safeguarding the final, ultimate showdown of the World Cup.
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