New Delhi, June 22 -- Thousands of fans have travelled across continents to support their national teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. Millions more are glued to screens of all shapes and sizes, watching 22 players chase a ball across a field.

The tournament's global appeal has turned sport into a formidable economic force. The FIFA World Cup, the world's most-watched sporting event, could generate more than $40 billion in global GDP, according to the World Economic Forum. In its January report, Sports for People and Planet, produced with Oliver Wyman, WEF estimated that the global sports industry could grow into an $8.8 trillion economy by 2050.

Yet, even as billions follow the World Cup, advances in AI are producing hum...