The Brief
For the 2026 National League Promotion Final at Wembley, DAZN and the National League delivered the first AI-augmented football broadcast ever produced at the stadium.
Using GeniusIQ’s real-time augmented graphics technology, the project aimed to explore how live data overlays could create new commercial opportunities, elevate the experience of one the most important games in the English football season and deliver a more immersive fan experience.
The Challenge
DAZN wanted to create a more immersive broadcast by introducing real-time augmented graphics into the live broadcast without disrupting the viewing experience.
The broadcaster also wanted to balance innovation with accessibility – creating an enhanced viewing option for fans who wanted deeper insight, while maintaining a traditional clean feed for more conventional audiences.
At the same time, the technology needed to operate reliably in real time, with broadcast-quality accuracy and minimal latency.
The Solution
DAZN launched “Promotion Final Plus” an alternative immersive feed powered by GeniusIQ’s live optical tracking, auto-eventing, and augmented graphics engine.
The broadcast featured live player IDs, tactical mini maps, and real-time shot speed and distance metrics layered directly onto the live match feed. Selected augmented moments were also incorporated into the main broadcast feed.
Importantly, the activation also introduced new commercial opportunities through branded augmented moments and sponsorship integration around those key events.
The Result
The National League Promotion Final proved that AI-augmented broadcasting can create both deeper fan engagement and new commercial opportunities – even for smaller leagues.
Watch the highlights here:
