RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s national football team is using sensor-equipped smart vests as part of its preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the technology helping staff monitor player movement, workload and physical condition, according to reports on the team’s performance-tracking program. The wearable devices are being used to collect data from players during training and club activities ahead of the tournament, which began in June 2026.
The vests, worn under players’ shirts, are designed to record performance indicators such as positioning through GPS tracking, heart rate, sprint activity and a workload measurement known as player load, according to reports from sports technology coverage. Brazil’s sports science staff receives information from players who compete for clubs in different countries, allowing the national team to follow physical data outside international camps.
The technology is part of a wider move by elite football teams to use data analysis in training and preparation. FIFA has also highlighted the increased role of technology at the 2026 World Cup, including artificial intelligence and digital tools for match analysis, although individual teams use their own performance systems.
Brazil’s staff has used the information to support decisions related to training intensity, recovery and player monitoring, according to reports. Sports science officials have said the data is intended to provide additional information rather than replace coaching judgment. “The data helps us understand what is happening with the players,” Brazil sports science staff member Guilherme Passos was quoted as saying in reports about the system.
The use of smart vests has also drawn attention because performance data does not always provide a complete picture of a player’s contribution. Reports on Brazil’s preparations described cases where tracking information required additional review alongside match footage and tactical assessment before decisions were made.
Brazil enters the 2026 World Cup with the technology integrated into its broader preparation structure. The team’s staff has continued using wearable tracking information while managing players from domestic and international clubs, according to reports. Details about the full scope of the system, including all data collected and how it is weighted in selection decisions, remain unclear.
