FIFA has unveiled an 11-member Technical Study Group for the 2026 World Cup to analyse matches and select individual award winners

The FIFA has unveiled an 11-member Technical Study Group for the 2026 World Cup, bringing together former players and coaches tasked with analysing matches and selecting winners of major individual awards during the tournament.

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The announcement was made on Monday during a virtual media briefing monitored ahead of the competition, which is scheduled to kick off next month at Estadio Azteca.

The FIFA Technical Study Group will be led by FIFA Senior Football Expert Pascal Zuberbühler and will include a mix of global football figures with coaching and playing experience at the highest level.

Members of the panel include former Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta, ex-Germany international striker and coach Jürgen Klinsmann, Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, former Ghana coach Otto Addo, Costa Rica legend Paulo Wanchope and Brazil’s World Cup winner Gilberto Silva.

Others appointed to the group are Tobin Heath, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Jayne Ludlow and Aron Winter, completing the 11-member team responsible for technical analysis of matches.

The FIFA Technical Study Group will also determine the winners of key individual awards, including the Golden Ball, Golden Glove and Best Young Player honours at the end of the tournament.

The 2026 World Cup will be historic, featuring 48 teams for the first time, with 104 matches scheduled across multiple host venues.

According to FIFA, the group will play a central role in documenting tactical trends, team performances and player development throughout the competition.

A FIFA spokesperson described the panel as essential to the modern game, noting that their analysis will combine expert observation with advanced data systems.

“The TSG captures the heartbeat of global football. By blending expert observation with cutting-edge data, this team will provide the official record of how football is played at the highest level in 2026,” the spokesperson said.

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The appointment of the group underscores FIFA’s continued emphasis on performance analysis and data-driven evaluation in modern football.