England's Barclays Women's Super League will become the first football league to use sensor-equipped Sportable match balls when it launches Connected Ball technology in 2026/27.
The Nike-backed partnership brings heightened performance data to women's football, combining sensor-embedded match balls with player-worn GPS devices and sideline beacons to create real-time 3D mapping of every match.
The technology tracks ball speed, spin, flight trajectories, high-intensity efforts, tactical patterns, and off-ball movements. Players, coaches, and training staff subsequently gain access to comprehensive data previously unavailable in domestic competition.
"It is a privilege to work with Nike and support WSL Football on a project that will meaningfully impact the progression of the women's game," said Sportable CEO Dugald Macdonald.
"The opportunity to create a consistent, data-rich view of performance, from training pitches to stadiums, is truly groundbreaking and we are excited to help unlock the next level of insight for teams across the league."
FIFA introduced sensor technology at the 2022 Men's World Cup, but the WSL will become the first domestic league to adopt it via a multi-year deal with Nike. The Connected Ball technology has earned FIFA certification under the Electronic Performance & Tracking Systems Quality Programme.
While several WSL clubs already tested the system during training sessions and match preparation, the league plans deployment across all teams when the 2026/27 season kicks off.
"[Nike's] desire to elevate the role of the ball through Sportable’s technology will enable us to provide enhanced performance data to our clubs as well as tell richer stories to our fans," said WSL Football Chief Revenue Officer Zarah Al-Kudcy. "We are excited to be the first football league in the world to use this technology.”
