AI-generated videos and images of the 2026 FIFA World Cup [3] are circulating online and being mistaken for real match footage.
The surge of synthetic media complicates the digital landscape for sports fans, making it difficult to distinguish authentic highlights from fabricated content.
Millions of people have watched these AI videos this week [2], according to reports. The content includes images and clips featuring high-profile players such as Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland [1]. Some of the fabrications are highly specific, including a clip that depicts a fan running onto the pitch at a World Cup stadium [1].
Fact-checkers have identified several of these clips as fakes. In one instance, an AI-detection tool rated a video showing a hug involving Messi as 51.7% likely to be AI-generated [4].
Experts said advances in artificial intelligence have made it easier to create realistic-looking footage [1]. This technological shift has allowed misinformation to spread rapidly across social media channels, where users often share content without verifying its origin [1].
While the videos are designed to look authentic, they lack the verification of official tournament broadcasts. The widespread nature of these fakes suggests a growing trend of using generative AI to simulate sporting events in real time, often to garner views or mislead the public [1].
“Millions of people have watched these AI videos this week”
The prevalence of synthetic media during a global event like the World Cup demonstrates the diminishing gap between AI-generated content and reality. As these tools become more accessible, the burden of verification shifts to the consumer, increasing the risk that misinformation can influence public perception of live events.
