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

· Yahoo Sports

Abby Morton has worked for football tech firm Hawk-Eye Innovations for five years [Abby Morton]

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).

Visit newsbetsport.bond for more information.

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.

Morton has worked at five major football tournaments including the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 [Abby Morton]

"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 says she feels "lucky" to get to work major tournaments [Abby Morton]

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.

Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch thelatest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices

More on this story

Related internet links

Read full story at source