To the delight of football fans around the world, EUFA Euro 2024 has finally kicked off in Germany. Following Scotland's opening match versus the hosts on Friday night, England will begin their campaign against Serbia on Sunday. Fans will hope Gareth's Southgate's men can go one step further than three years ago, when they were beaten on penalties in the final at Wembley. This year, clever technology should help referees make more accurate decisions than ever. From video replays to connected match balls and semi-automated offside technology, MailOnline takes a closer look.

The biggest Women's World Cup ever kicked off in Australia and New Zealand earlier this week with wins for both of the host nations. For the first time, the women's version of FIFA's tournament has 32 teams participating, following the format of the men's competition for the past 25 years. It comprises 64 matches across five time zones in nine cities, culminating with the final in Sydney on August 20. On Saturday, England kick off their campaign with a match against Haiti in Brisbane at 7:30pm local time (10:30am BST). MailOnline has taken a look at the innovations underpinning the player and fan experience this year, including AI-powered limb-tracking, a new video assistant referee procedure and a Web3 prediction game.

FIFA's official partner Adidas came up with an undoubtedly original idea for this year's ball. Their priorities were definitely to implement this year's buzzwords – technology, IoT, AI, and machine learning, but at the same time to include sustainability and upcycling. Now, were these trends used for a purpose and how were they justified? The ball is designed as an homage to Qatar's architecture, national flag, and traditional boats, while the name itself translates as'Journey'. The main feature of this ball is its lightness and speed. More precisely, "the highest level of accuracy" when compared to previous balls.

Football fans now have only a few more days of waiting to endure before the men's FIFA World Cup finally commences in Qatar. After an agonising four-and-a-half-year gap since the last tournament, the host nation will kick off Qatar 2022 on Sunday against Ecuador in Al Khor. England, meanwhile, play their fist match against Iran the following day, as Gareth Southgate's men seek to finally bring it home after 56 years of hurt at the World Cup final on December 18. This year, players and fans alike will see a host of new technologies that have never been seen at a FIFA World Cup. Here's a look at the innovations at Qatar 2022, from AI-powered limb-tracking to a demountable stadium inspired by Lego.