5G Multicam: A real-time immersive experience inside the stadium

Atlético de Madrid and Telefónica have implemented a new immersive way to enjoy matches at Riyadh Air Metropolitano thanks to the capabilities of 5G and Virtual Reality (VR). This pilot project, pioneering in football, was developed at the end of the 23/24 season at Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

The experience enables enjoyment of the match from different angles thanks to tablets or Meta Quest Pro VR glasses. The real-time images captured by four 360º cameras located at various points on the field allow the fan to adopt the perspectives of Atlético de Madrid’s north goal, the area of the tunnel leading to the field, the control room of the stadium’s show production, and the stands where the media are located.

Additionally, three pre-recorded scenes with 360º cameras were available to fans, capturing the moment the jerseys were placed in the dressing room, the light show announcing the home-team lineup, or the atmosphere experienced in the stands before the match in which the Club celebrated its 120th anniversary.

Real-time as a challenge

One of the great challenges of the project was real-time viewing. Since the experience is enjoyed from the same Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, it was necessary for participants to see and hear the goals simultaneously with the spectators. To make this possible, video transmission from the 360º camera to its processing in the cloud and subsequent visualization in the VR headset was achieved in less than 500 milliseconds.

The success of the experience led Telefónica to choose it as one of the nine innovation cases of the year, and it was presented through a demo at the Mobile World Congress 2024, the world’s leading trade show in connectivity and the mobile ecosystem.