World Cup drives demand for data centre resilience

TES Power said resilient data centre infrastructure is playing a growing role in supporting the FIFA World Cup as the tournament's digital demands expand.

The Northern Ireland manufacturer said the enlarged competition is increasing pressure on the systems behind live broadcasting, streaming, ticketing, security and fan services. Hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the tournament features 48 teams and 104 matches.

Much of that strain falls on data centres and the electrical systems that keep them running continuously. Video assistant referees, cloud platforms, digital payments and live analytics all depend on uninterrupted computing and network availability during matches.

TES Power pointed to the scale of digital engagement around the tournament as evidence of that reliance. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final, an estimated 1.5 billion people watched worldwide, while FIFA reported about five billion digital engagements across the tournament.

This edition is expected to exceed those figures as audiences consume more content through streaming services, mobile devices and social media. The trend extends beyond viewers at home, with spectators inside stadiums also relying heavily on mobile ticketing, cashless payments, live statistics and connected services.

Industry estimates suggest fans inside a single stadium can use more than 50TB of mobile data during a match. That level of demand adds pressure to networks, data centres and the power distribution equipment that supports them.

Rising demand

As sporting events become more digital, operators face greater risks from even brief disruptions. Outages can affect live broadcasts, betting platforms, stadium operations and the wider fan experience.

TES Power specialises in power distribution systems for data centres, including low-voltage switchgear, power distribution units and modular electrical infrastructure. It said demand for those systems will continue to grow as organisations manage heavier artificial intelligence workloads and more real-time digital services.

Michael Beagan, Managing Director of TES Power, said the scale of modern sports coverage has changed the infrastructure requirements behind major tournaments.

"The World Cup has evolved into one of the world's largest live digital events," Beagan said. "Every streamed match, digital ticket, live statistic and broadcast relies on resilient data centres and dependable power infrastructure. As digital expectations continue to rise, the resilience of that infrastructure has become fundamental to delivering major sporting events."

His comments reflect a broader shift in how global sporting events are delivered. Tournament organisers, broadcasters, venue operators and service providers now rely on a complex chain of digital systems that must remain available throughout the competition.

That dependence has grown alongside changes in fan behaviour. Supporters now expect instant statistics, mobile access, digital transactions and continuous video coverage across multiple platforms, increasing the operational importance of back-end infrastructure.

Operational pressure

TES Power said the pressures visible during the World Cup mirror challenges facing digital infrastructure in other sectors. Businesses, public services and technology platforms are also dealing with rising demand for always-on systems and little tolerance for downtime or service interruption.

Beagan said reliability has moved beyond a technical concern to become a basic expectation for users and operators alike.

"Reliability is no longer just an operational requirement; it's an expectation," Beagan said. "Whether supporting a global sporting event or critical business operations, organisations need infrastructure that can scale while maintaining continuous performance. The demands seen during the World Cup reflect the wider pressures facing digital infrastructure across every sector."

The company said that outlook is likely to support continued investment in electrical equipment for data centre environments. It identified resilient low-voltage switchgear, power distribution units and modular systems as areas where spending is expected to remain important as digital environments become more complex.

For TES Power, the World Cup is a high-profile example of how major events now depend on infrastructure that remains largely unseen by audiences. While the matches take place on the pitch, broadcasts, transactions and digital services depend on systems operating in the background.

"The players decide the outcome on the pitch," Beagan said. "But behind every match is an enormous digital ecosystem that depends on resilient power infrastructure. As sporting events continue to embrace new technologies, investment in that infrastructure will be essential to delivering the seamless digital experiences fans now expect."