Visitors to the special exhibition Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch are invited to trace a defining thread running through some of football’s most pivotal moments: the enduring impact of Japanese innovation and passion for the game. The exhibition at the FIFA Museum in Zurich highlights how Japan has played a decisive—often understated—role in shaping football’s technological evolution.

From a historic referee's headset to the cinematic camera lens, Japan has quietly but decisively shaped how the world experiences football. The special exhibition Innovation in Action celebrates this extraordinary contribution, revealing how Japanese companies and individuals have been instrumental in transforming both what fans see and how decisions are made on the pitch.

Yet Japan's connection to football innovation stretches back decades. A special edition Japanese magazine from the 1986 FIFA World Cup, featuring Diego Armando Maradona's triumphant story, sits within the exhibition as a testament to Japanese sports journalism's golden era. In the 1980s, when the world watched Maradona's genius unfold, Japanese media were at the forefront of innovative sports reporting, capturing the excitement and drama with a perspective that resonated globally.

This visual innovation extends beyond live broadcast into the realm of photography, through the cameras wielded by photojournalists – tools frequently manufactured by Japanese companies. These instruments have documented football's greatest moments for generations, from unexpected victories to heartbreaking defeats, cementing Japan's role as a silent architect of how we consume and remember the game.

The special exhibition ‘Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch’ at the FIFA Museum in Zurich is open until 31 March 2026.