Next year's World Cup Final will be shot and broadcast in 4K

World Cup Final to be broadcast at 4K, meaning England games all in HD
FIFA gives 4K the OK

Football fans thinking of investing in a new Ultra HD television could be a little closer to slapping down the credit card, following confirmation that next summer's World Cup Final will be broadcast at 4K resolution.

The announcement follows a successful test of the tech at last summer's Confederations Cup tournament, with the sport's governing body FIFA ready to take the plunge for the showcase game in Brazil, next July.

FIFA TV Director Niclas Ericson said: "At IBC 2012 [International Broadcasting Convention] Sony announced its technical collaboration with FIFA to produce the 2014 tournament in HD."

"The World Cup Final in 4K is the next natural evolution. We needed to be sure we had the technology that could deliver the trial this summer. We believe 4K will create a richer and more exciting viewing experience for viewers."

Down conversion

Given the lack of Ultra HD sets currently residing in living rooms around the globe, FIFA is planning to hold screenings in cinemas and public places to ensure the tech is exposed to as many viewers as possible.

Sony, which will be responsible for shooting at the new resolution, has defended the decision to invest in the 4K broadcast, following criticism of the largely unfruitful 3D experiments.

Katsunori Yamanouchi, vice president of Sony Professional Solutions Europe said: "Why should you invest now in 4K when viewers don't have 4K TVs? Because this live production system can also be used to shoot HD - by offering HD cut-outs from 4K cameras, down-conversion to HD or high frame rate sequences for slow motion."

Will the opportunity to host an Ultra HD World Cup Final party tempt you into splashing a few thousand on a 4K television?

Via The Hollywood Reporter

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.