Champions League matches have been using incredible hidden technology all season… have you noticed it?

1 month ago 7

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE matches have been using incredible hidden technology all season long.

But have you noticed it?

a soccer game is being played in front of a qatar airways banner

This was the angle fans watching Viktor Gyokeres’ second penalty on TNT Sports saw[/caption] https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1853915868444463452

Viktor Gyokeres fired home his second penalty of the game to round off the emphatic 4-1 victory in Ruben Amorim’s final home game as Sporting boss.

After blasting to Ederson’s left with his first penalty, he switched it up and opted to go low to the Manchester City goalkeeper’s right and completed his Champions League hat-trick.

With the regular TV camera angle, the advertising hoardings around the pitch all showed Qatar Airways on a purple background as the striker stepped up and fired home.

However, replays of the goal shown on TNT Sports, photographers’ snaps and videos taken inside the stadium did not show the Qatar Airways advertising.

Instead, the screens displayed adverts for FedEx with the iconic blue and orange writing on a plain white background.

And that meant the adverts on the boards showing the goal live on TV were different from what was actually in the stadium.

The discrepancy was clear to see in a video uploaded from Gyokeres’ Portuguese actress girlfriend Ines Aguiar, who filmed the goal and put it on her Instagram story.

The time, 21:38, was consistent across both her footage and the TV footage – but the adverts were not the same.

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When the TV feed cut back from a fan in the crowd, there appeared to be a brief flash of white at the top of the advertising screen – possibly covering the FedEx ad.

And Uefa confirmed to SunSport the adverts were indeed being changed for the main broadcast feed.

a soccer field with an ad for qatar airways

The ‘camera one’ view had Qatar Airways around the pitch but inside the ground, there was a different advert[/caption]

a soccer player with the number 8 on his back

Photos from the stadium also showed the FedEx branding[/caption]

a soccer game is being shown on tnt sports

The hoardings can be remotely edited to suit various broadcast regions[/caption]

a soccer field with qatar airways advertisements on the sidelines

This screenshot appears to show the Qatar Airways advert covering the FedEx one[/caption]

Explaining the phenomenon, a spokesperson said: “Uefa’s virtual board replacement (VBR) concept has been implemented at selected men’s club competition matches across the 2024-25 season.

“VBR replaces advertisements displayed on the in-stadium LED boards in selected markets with alternative advertisements and messaging on the main global broadcast feed.

“This approach ensures compliance with local advertising regulations while maintaining visibility for sponsors on the global broadcast feed.

“This replacement is visible only on the main broadcast camera (camera one) during live play.

“No replacements are made on any other camera during the live match feed or on any camera, including camera one, during replays.

“VBR can be implemented either remotely or on-site and can be implemented over any LED boards.

“Uefa has appointed several VBR suppliers to manage this process and produce the dedicated feeds.

“Uefa has been testing VBR technology for the past six years, with its first official implementation during the 2021–24 cycle of Uefa men’s club competitions, starting with the 2021 Uefa Super Cup in Belfast.

“VBR was also used throughout Euro 2024 in Germany this summer.”

Supponor is one company that offers VBR services, using “the world’s leading AI software delivering supercharged virtual advertising in live broadcast sports”.

The firm specialises in using AI to transform live feeds and adapt advertising for different languages and broadcast regions.

Their website says: “Supponor provide a virtual advertising technology solution that replaces and creates in-venue brand placements with real time authentic digital overlays. Developed for any sport, any surface, from anywhere in the world with infinite possibilities.”

That can include editing the pitchside advertising hoardings, virtual carpet-style banners next to goals, tunnel coverings and other LED screens around stadiums.

This can often be used to exclude betting adverts where gambling is prohibited.

The FA, Bayern Munich, LaLiga, Argentina, France, Borussia Dortmund, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Germany, Serie A, the Rugby World Cup and the NHL are all clients of Supponor.

Tennis’ cinch Championships – aka Queen’s – also used the tech during the 2024 tournament to change up the screens behind the court for various TV viewers.

SunSport reported in 2018 that Southampton were planning to become the tenth Premier League side to launch the new augmented reality hoardings at St Mary’s.