'I'm really lucky to be on the World Cup VAR team'

A woman who is travelling from her home in Lincoln to the United States to work at the 2026 World Cup said she feels “really lucky” to be working behind the scenes at the tournament.

Abby Morton, 27, works for football officiating tech company Hawk-Eye Innovations which is responsible for goal-line technology and video assistant referee (VAR).

Speaking to BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Morton said she would fly to Dallas ahead of the first match on 11 June.

“That whole week running up to the World Cup [I] will be setting up and testing, testing and testing to make sure everything’s spot on for when the games actually start,” she said.

The month-long tournament will see 48 teams compete in 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Morton, who has worked at the tech firm for five years, said her role usually involved preparing the technology which is used by referees during the matches.

“Anything from being able to talk to the officials on field to the camera angles that they’re seeing, we’re setting that up in the background so they can make the decisions that they do,” she said.

Morton said her job often included “making sure everything’s functional” and ensuring “everything stays on”.

“And if it doesn’t, turn it off and back on again,” she joked.

Morton said she would be based at the AT&T stadium in Dallas and said her job would be slightly different to previous tournaments.

“I’ll be sat where the analysts are, and my role for this World Cup is an event data collector, which kind of is what it says on the tin,” she said

“I’ll be pressing buttons when goals go in, major events, corners, fouls, and I’ll be tagging when it happens and the players involved.”

Morton said she also had worked at Premier League and Champions League matches as well as other major sporting events.

“I’ve been at the company for five years and I’ve done five major tournaments,” she said.

“I’ve been very lucky to be picked for each one.”

Morton said while working at the Women’s Champions League Final between Arsenal and Barcelona in 2025, she was able to keep a ball used in the match.

“They were very kindly let me keep a hold of it, that’s a prized possession,” she said.

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Related internet links

• Fifa World Cup 2026