GIS Students at the World Cup: Behind Touchline Technology

In a nail-biting World Cup match, countless sets of eyes turn to the fourth official as the 90th minute approaches, all waiting to see how much injury time is to be allocated.

The nail-biting minutes that follow are among the most exciting to watch in all of sport, though fans often won’t know the amount of work that goes into making this process possible.

To highlight this often-overlooked role, GIS spoke to student Gaia Crepaldi about her experience working on football’s biggest tournament.

Studying MSc Football Business, Gaia works as the Sales and Marketing Director for AMB Elettronic, who design and supply the LED referee boards for major tournaments including the World Cup.

“My role,” Gaia said, “combines commercial strategy, client relationship management, international sales, and marketing. I work closely with football clubs, leagues, and governing bodies, supporting both existing partnerships and new business opportunities.”

“Before a substitution board ever appears on the touchline, months of planning, production, testing, quality control, logistics, and coordination take place,” Gaia explained. “Every detail has to meet technical requirements, and the equipment must perform flawlessly under any conditions because there is no margin for error during a World Cup match.”

In the US alone, it has been estimated that over 185,000 jobs have been created during the World Cup, acting as a reminder of how many people are necessary to make each tournament possible.

“Every supplier, technician, engineer, logistics coordinator, and operations team contributes to creating an event that millions of people enjoy without ever seeing the amount of preparation involved.”

For Gaia, preparations began long before the tournament started, and involved her communicating with tournament organisers, preparing relevant documentation, and overseeing various other logistical aspects of the deal.

This was all done whilst studying full-time, where relevant modules such as Football Operations Management, Branding and Sports Sponsorship and Sports Economics & Finance support her current role.

Combined with her time in the classroom, Gaia was also part of the second GIS Global Sports Summit held in London, involving live sporting events, industry guest speaker sessions, and networking opportunities. 

As part of our Students at the World Cup series, we ask for one thing they will take away from the tournament, either personally or professionally. For Gaia, it’s the importance of teamwork, and attention to detail, saying:

“Working on a project connected to one of the world’s biggest sporting events reinforced that success comes from many people working together towards the same goal. Every small task matters because even minor details can have a significant impact at this level. 

“On a personal level, it has been incredibly rewarding to contribute to such a prestigious competition. It has strengthened my passion for the football industry and motivated me to continue building my career in football.”

Article by Zakaria Anani