FIFA is working to ensure the 2026 World Cup is the most inclusive yet – not only expanding participation among nations, but also enhancing accessibility for fans with disabilities through expanded resources designed to make the matchday experience truly memorable.
Some initiatives build on activations used successfully at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, such as sensory bags and audio-descriptive commentary. New this year – and a first for any FIFA tournament – sign language broadcasts will be available for every match, allowing fans both inside and outside the stadium to follow the action and excitement through play-by-play coverage and interpretation of key audio cues.
Sign language commentary goes beyond standard interpretation. It provides an immersive experience for deaf and hard-of-hearing fans by translating the full energy of the game. FIFA’s dedicated interpreters will not just convey the play-by-play action, they will also relay key audio cues – such as whistle blows, crowd cheers and emotional shifts in the stadium atmosphere – ensuring fans feel every moment of the match in real time.
To best serve the diverse community of football fans, all group-stage matches played in the United States and Canada will feature American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, while matches in Mexico will feature Mexican Sign Language (LSM). During the knockout rounds, most matches will be available in ASL, with LSM provided for select matches featuring Spanish-speaking countries.
Fans can access the sign language broadcast directly through the official FIFA tournament app.
This marks the first time that FIFA will provide sign language interpretation across all tournament matches. The initiative builds on the success of in-person interpretation at select games during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, while allowing more deaf and hard-of-hearing fans to access this resource from their own device – whether in the stadium, at a watchparty or in the comfort of their own home.
In the stadium, captions will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing fans to follow spoken content during matches via ribbon boards, scoreboards, TV screens and in-app links.
Audio-descriptive commentary (ADC) will also be available for all matches, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. This service enhances the match experience for blind and low-vision fans. Commentators provide narration beyond standard radio commentary, describing key visual elements of the match, such as body language, facial expressions, the on-pitch action and the movement of the ball.
For matches in Canada, commentary will be available in English and French. For matches in the United States and Mexico, commentary will be available in English and Spanish. Fans can access the ADC broadcast through the FIFA Audio Description app.
Following a successful debut at the Club World Cup 2025, haptic devices will return for the FIFA World Cup 2026, with units deployed across stadiums in Dallas, New York New Jersey, Seattle and Vancouver for select matches.
These haptic devices enable blind and low-vision fans to feel the game as it unfolds in real time, translating live match action into tactile and audio feedback so that every goal, every tackle and every moment of play is accessible from the stands.
