What is 'Snicko'? The cricket technology behind Sweden's goal

Technology is playing a decisive role in this World Cup. During Sweden's comprehensive 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mattias Svanberg's goal in the 84th minute was validated thanks to a new contact-detection system known as 'Snicko', named after the 'Snickometer' used in cricket.

Svanberg, who had entered the pitch just seconds earlier, scored the fourth Swedish goal only 18 seconds after his arrival. However, the goal could have been disallowed for an offside position at the time of the cross. The VAR team utilized this new technology to determine exactly when the ball was touched.

Thanks to 'Snicko', referees were able to confirm that Alexander Isak had deflected the ball before it reached the penalty area. At the moment of that touch, Svanberg, who was initially in an illegal position during the cross, was deemed to be playing onside. Consequently, the goal stood.

The technology is used in cricket to determine if a batsman has touched the ball. By using a sensor integrated into the ball, the system identifies the exact moment of any contact with high precision. Fans had previously seen this tech during Euro 2024, notably in the match between Belgium and Slovakia (0-1), where Romelu Lukaku's goal was disallowed after the system revealed a handball by Loïs Openda.

With this new device, FIFA continues to integrate technologies capable of bringing greater accuracy to refereeing decisions, particularly in situations where a few centimeters or fractions of a second can change the course of a match.