La Liga to Deploy Connected Ball System in Every Match Starting 2026-27 Season
La Liga will equip all fixtures of the 2026/27 campaign with a sensor-filled ball that transmits real-time position and contact data.
Beginning with the first match of the 2026/27 campaign, La Liga will introduce Connected Ball technology across all its games, making it the first domestic league to use the system league-wide. A radio-frequency sensor embedded in the Puma match ball will broadcast its location and the precise instant of contact, captured by roughly twelve stadium antennas and integrated into the league’s VAR and semi-automated off-side platforms.
Developed in partnership with the Technical Committee of Referees, Puma and Kinexon, the technology has been tested with players who reported no change in weight, balance or trajectory. Each match will use a set of 14 connected balls, with a strict protocol for charging, checking and validation before kickoff. The data stream, branded as xBALL, will also provide shot speed, spin and trajectory metrics for broadcasters, the LaLiga app and future second-screen services, creating a new commercial asset for the league.
Why it matters
The system could make refereeing decisions more accurate and generate new revenue streams for the league.
In this story
