This high-tech ball was involved in one of the most dramatic moments in World Cup history

ATLANTA (AP) — It is called connected ball technology. And it was responsible for one of the most dramatic climaxes to a World Cup match ever.

It canceled Croatia's late equalizer deep in added time against Portugal by detecting a touch that was undetectable to the naked eye and even video replays late Thursday.

Portugal won 2-1 in Toronto and advanced to the round of 16, leaving Croatia players and fans devastated in the belief Josko Gvardiol's goal was wrongly called offside by the VAR and referee Espen Eskås.

FIFA is relying on a high-tech soccer ball fitted with “advanced sensors” and insisted it got it right when determining Croatia's Igor Mantanovic got the slightest of glances with his head, meaning Mario Palasic was in an offside position during the buildup to the goal.

The in-ball sensors were so finely tuned, FIFA said, they were “capable of determining any slight contact ... allowing officials an unprecedented level of data to make fast, accurate decisions.”

The official “Trionda” World Cup ball, manufactured by Adidas, is fitted with a “small inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor,” which FIFA says operates at around 500Hz and captures data 500 times per second.

FIFA says it can track ball acceleration and granular movements in three dimensions and can detect the exact moment a player makes contact.

The ball technology is combined with in-stadium cameras for tracking data that is transmitted in real time to video assistants.

As well as helping to determine offsides, the touch data can also be used for incidents such as handballs and penalties.

The reason the call was so contentious was because even slow motion replays from numerous angles were visually inconclusive that Mantanovic made contact with Ivan Perisic's in-swinging cross.

That is where reliance on the technology came in. Referee Eskås was instructed by the VAR to review the sideline monitor. Replays showed what FIFA calls a “heartbeat graphic” to indicate the moment the ball was touched and there was a clear spike as it apparently grazed Mantanovic's head.

“No matter how fast the ball is moving or the spin of the ball, you can track it really effectively,” The AP was told by professor Manos Tentzeris from Georgia Tech's school of electrical and computer engineering. "The position of the ball is 99.99% accurate ... you know exactly where the players are, even the tip of a shoe, which sometimes determines if someone is offside or onside."

FIFA also used connected ball technology at the 2022 World Cup, and it was deployed at the most recent men's European Championship in 2024.

Tests were carried out from 2020-22 and the technology trialed at tournaments such as the Arab Cup and the Club World Cup.

The ball sensors also had a decisive impact at Euro 2024 by detecting Denmark's Joachim Andersen handled in the box against host Germany. After a VAR review a penalty was awarded and Kai Havertz scored and Germany won 2-0.

“In my opinion this is not how football is supposed to be,” Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said after his team also had a goal ruled out by VAR.

Those sentiments were echoed by Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić after his team's painful exit.

“All these decisions take the joy out of football," he said.

AP sports writer Maura Carey in Atlanta contributed.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Croatia's Josko Gvardiol (4) scores a goal against Portugal goalkeeper Diego Costa (1) that was later taken back due to an offside call, during the second half of a World Cup round of 32 soccer match, in Toronto on Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Croatia's Igor Matanovic (20) reacts after the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Portugal and Croatia in Toronto, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam Balkansky)

Croatia's Igor Matanovic (20) reacts after the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Portugal and Croatia in Toronto, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Croatia's Luka Modric (10) reacts after losing to Portugal in a World Cup round of 32 soccer match, in Toronto on Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (7) watches as Croatia's Nikola Vlasic (13) heads the ball during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Portugal and Croatia in Toronto, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Silverstone hasn’t changed a bit and yet Lewis Hamilton is ready for a British Grand Prix on a “completely different track.”

Hamilton coped best with adapting his driving style around Formula 1's new reliance on battery power to take pole position in qualifying for Saturday's sprint race.

Despite a slight wobble in the final corner, Hamilton held on to take pole by just 0.011 of a second at a track where he'd predicted he and Ferrari would struggle. The seven-time world champion stood atop his car and soaked in the applause as he waved to the crowd.

“I love this place, I love this crowd and I can’t express how big a dream it is,” he said.

Standings leader Kimi Antonelli was second fastest, with Max Verstappen third for Red Bull ahead of Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc.

George Russell was only fifth after winning last week's Austrian Grand Prix, while McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were sixth and seventh in a throwback green-and-white livery.

Setting fast times at Silverstone is very different this year because of how the cars struggle to recharge their batteries around the high-speed circuit. Having only a single practice session on Friday, topped by Hamilton, made it crucial to adapt quickly.

With nine wins there, the most of any F1 driver at a single track, Hamilton knows his home circuit inside out.

Ahead of this weekend's race, he outlined how the 2026-specification F1 cars will struggle with Silverstone's long straights and fast corners.

The Ferrari star predicts cars running at reduced speed with empty batteries, because they need heavy braking zones to recharge the electrical power that's crucial to how they operate.

“This is going to be the most unprecedented weekend in terms of the power deployment," he said Thursday. “All of us drivers have been talking on the drivers’ chat just how poor the power is going to be through this track. We run out of battery power.”

The fastest way around Silverstone now involves easing off the power to recharge in what would normally be some of the most exciting corners, Hamilton predicted, adding it could be a setback for him and Ferrari.

“Normally the engine’s screaming as you’re going into Copse, and you’re holding on for dear life as you go through there flat out. This year, the engine will be coasting down,” he said. “Maggotts and Becketts is just not going to feel the same because I think you have to lift and coast or something through there for a period of time. It’s just a completely different track.”

Even before Friday practice, drivers spent plenty of time practicing for Silverstone on advanced simulators that mimic the behavior of the cars. Hamilton's comments line up with predictions by Verstappen, who said he “just started laughing” when he tried it out.

Despite the changes Norris, who won a thrilling British Grand Prix on his way to the title last year, says F1 can still put on a good show.

“I think Sunday will be exciting. On the outside I think it’ll be great," he said. "Certainly there’s going to be less challenges on the track itself comparing to what you’ve seen in the past few years.”

Racing at home has been bad luck in F1 recently. No driver has scored a point in his home race since Antonelli's ninth place at the Italian Grand Prix in September.

So far this year, Piastri failed to make the start in Australia and Leclerc crashed out in Monaco, leaving 12th for Carlos Sainz, Jr. the best by any driver on home soil.

Where better for that streak to end than Britain? Besides Hamilton's nine wins, Norris is the defending champion and Russell is coming off the victory in Austria last week.

To top it off, those three combined for the first all-British podium since 1968 at last month's Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy steers his car during the qualifying session for the sprint race at the British F1 Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates after setting a pole position for the sprint race at the British F1 Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Mechanics push Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli's car back into the team garage during the first free practice ahead of the British F1 Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri's car back into the team garage during the first free practice ahead of the British F1 Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

From left: Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad of Britain, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, and Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland attend a news conference ahead of the British F1 Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain attends a news conference ahead of the British F1 Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain attends a news conference ahead of the British F1 Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)