Humphrey

data | sports | AI

[Humphrey @phreyn]

Game of the tournament !!!!

[Troll Football @TrollFootball]

France vs England

[Humphrey @phreyn]

@thsottiaux And another one..... Thank you Tibo!

[wes @weskambale]

the tech at the 2026 @fifaworldcup

i've been analyzin' and readin' about the tech that's bein' used at the world cup

this is one of the most technologically advanced sports event in recent history

the ball (trionda):

designed by adidas, trionda contains a 500hz inertial measurement unit sensor as part of fifa's connected ball technology

the match balls are wirelessly charged before the games to power up the sensor

the sensor transmits movement data 500 times every second, allowin' officials to determine the exact moment a player touches the ball

this data is fed directly into fifa's officiatin' systems, helpin' with offside decisions, handball reviews, deflections, and other var incidents where the precise point of contact matters

for instance, players can no longer fight over throw-ins or corners as the ref knows exactly who last touched the ball

the ball also features a new four-panel construction with deep seams engineered to improve aerodynamic stability and create a more consistent flight path

the textured outer surface improves grip and control, particularly in wet conditions

the pitch:

while fans see grass, fifa sees a highly engineered playin' surface

all the 2026 pitches use advanced natural and hybrid grass systems designed to provide consistent playin' conditions across vastly different climates and altitudes

beneath the surface are specialized drainage systems, moisture management layers, root-zone engineerin', and environmental controls designed to maintain pitch quality regardless of weather conditions or stadium location

the objective is to ensure that a match in mexico city, toronto, dallas, or new york is played on a surface that behaves as consistently as possible

the stadium:

every 2026 venue is effectively a giant computer vision and sensor network

fifa's advanced semi-automated offside technology combines optical trackin' cameras, ball-trackin' data, 3d player models, and artificial intelligence to assist match officials

16 high-resolution optical trackin' cameras monitor player movement throughout the match while the sensor inside the ball continuously transmits positional and movement data

together, these systems generate millions of data points that allow fifa to reconstruct events on the field with extraordinary precision

for the first time at a world cup, all players have undergone detailed 3d body scans

these digital twins are integrated into the offside system, allowin' the technology to understand the exact dimensions and positions of players when makin' decisions and generatin' 3d replays

the advanced offside system can automatically identify clear offside situations and send audio alerts directly to match officials on the field, reducin' the time required to make decisions

the dressin' room:

adidas borrowed the f1 coolin' technology: the climacool system

it uses pre-frozen gel vests, jackets and overshoes that lower core body temperature by up to 0.5 degrees and skin temperature by 13 degrees

they also debuted the f50 hyperfast evo, the lightest boot at a world cup ever, which allows players to be quicker and more robust on the pitch

the 14-gram refcam:

all refs are dressed with an 8k 14-gram body camera with ai-stabilized footage and dolby atmos spatial audio

the camera provides a first-person perspective of the match and allow broadcasters to show viewers exactly what officials see durin' key moments

the footage captures positionin', player interactions, sightlines, and the speed at which on-field decisions are made

in truth, this is one of the largest real-time computer vision deployments ever assembled for sport

#worldcup | #fifaworldcup

[Humphrey @phreyn]

@mandazipapi Good luck!

[jo johnson @josbjohnson]

the most valuable skill is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it has to be done, whether you feel like it or not. every other skill you will ever learn sits on top of this one.

[John Goldman ☀️ @JohnGoldman]

Dying here

[conduct|r @conductr_]

BE EXCITED TO BE ALIVE.

[Humphrey @phreyn]

The way new models always excite me. Even when I won't be able to test them myself.

GPT-5.5 is out. Can't wait to see all the cool stuff done with it!!!

[CAF Media @CAF_Media]

The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).
https://t.co/QKDI0FCKug

[Humphrey @phreyn]

Read the full analysis methodology, charts, and references on Substack.
https://t.co/5OS4Aovt7G

[Humphrey @phreyn]

European football research says goals peak in the 76-90' window. Six seasons of Uganda Premier League data says otherwise. The most dangerous 15 minutes in UPL football is not the end of the game. It's right after halftime. 🧵

[Humphrey @phreyn]

What explains the 46-60' peak? Could be any of the following:
- Halftime tactical disruption
- Physical environment
- Coaching quality gaps

[Jane Raymond @__chisomm__]

Today I studied analytical thinking and this is what I learned

Being an analyst requires knowledge of tools such as Excel, Power BI, SQL e.t.c.
However, one of the most important skills is analytical thinking ,the ability to gather insights and make data driven recommendations

[Humphrey @phreyn]

Longer pieces live at The Pitch Lab on Substack. https://t.co/3cD0eTyTFN
If you're a coach, an analyst, a researcher, or just someone who loves football, stick around.

[Humphrey @phreyn]

I'm Humphrey. Data Analyst & Sports Scientist based in Uganda.
Football data is everywhere now. But the questions being asked, the contexts being analysed, the stories told through numbers tend to cluster around the same leagues and teams.

[Humphrey @phreyn]

A lot of football is happening outside that frame and doesn't get the same treatment

I'll be posting about:

Data observations and charts
Football analysis with an East African lens
Project breakdowns as I build them
Sports science and performance