Metrica Sports joined FC Barcelona Innovation Hub at Talent Arena during Mobile World Congress to explore how AI and real match data are shaping the future of football analysis.

The intersection of football, data, and artificial intelligence took center stage at Talent Arena 2026, where the More Than a Hack hackathon brought together some of the brightest minds in sports analytics.

Organized by Barcelona Innovation Hub, Metrica Sports, and Mobile World Capital Barcelona, the challenge gathered thousands of applicants from around the world to explore one central question:

How can AI transform raw football data into tactical intelligence?

Over several intense days, selected teams worked with real football datasets and advanced analytical tools to develop new approaches for understanding the game.

From Data to Tactical Insight

Modern football generates enormous amounts of data every match: tracking coordinates, event data, video, and contextual information.

But data alone does not create insight.

The challenge of More Than a Hack was to bridge the gap between raw data and actionable tactical knowledge.

Participants were asked to explore new ways to interpret complex datasets using generative AI, machine learning, and football expertise.

Many of the projects focused on transforming millions of positional data points into meaningful tactical narratives that analysts and coaches can actually use.

Metrica Sports’ Role

As a technology partner of the hackathon, Metrica Sports contributed its expertise in performance analysis and football data workflows.

Participants were able to explore the possibilities of Metrica Nexus, Metrica’s advanced analysis platform used by professional clubs, analysts, and federations around the world.

By combining video, tracking data, and tactical context, Metrica Nexus helps analysts turn complex datasets into clear visual insights and tactical stories.

The hackathon demonstrated how modern analysis increasingly sits at the intersection of AI systems, football knowledge, and intuitive analytical tools.

Incredible Talent and Innovative Projects

The level of innovation presented during the final stage of the hackathon was remarkable.

Out of more than 3,500 applicants worldwide, only a small group reached the final stage at Talent Arena in Barcelona.

The winning project addressed one of the most important challenges in modern football analytics: the gap between data and tactical decision-making.

By combining tracking data, ball trajectory analysis, contextual audio insights, and conversational AI interfaces, the team created a system capable of transforming raw match data into interactive tactical intelligence.

Other finalist teams also explored innovative concepts such as:

• AI-powered tactical assistants

• automated event detection from tracking data

• conversational interfaces for football analysis

• new ways to visualize collective team behaviour

The quality of the work presented showed how quickly AI and football analytics are evolving together.

A Unique Environment for Innovation

Hosting the hackathon within Talent Arena at Mobile World Congress created a unique environment where sports technology, AI research, and industry innovation intersected.

Throughout the event, participants had the opportunity to interact with experts from FC Barcelona Innovation Hub, leading researchers, and professionals working at the forefront of sports analytics.

The result was not just a competition, but a collaborative space where ideas about the future of football analysis could be tested and shared.

Looking Ahead

Events like More Than a Hack highlight how the future of football analysis will increasingly rely on the collaboration between data scientists, AI specialists, and football experts.

At Metrica Sports, we believe the next generation of analysis tools will empower coaches and analysts to explore data more naturally, ask deeper tactical questions, and communicate insights more effectively.

The innovation showcased during the hackathon is a strong signal of where football analytics is heading.

And we are excited to continue building tools that help bridge the gap between data, technology, and the game itself.