Vienna (Wieden, Karlsplatz), Austria. A quadruped robotic dog walks along a paved path while several pedestrians move alongside it at close distance, actively observing and recording the moment with their smartphones. The tighter framing emphasizes direct engagement and curiosity toward emerging technology in a public setting.

Dr David Batty, AI & Cyberphysical Systems Engineer, Virtual Engineering Centre, Institute of Digital Engineering & Autonomous Systems, reflects on the use of robot dogs at FIFA World Cup 2026 venues, exploring how autonomous technologies could support crowd safety while raising important questions around surveillance, privacy and public trust.

A robot dog at a football stadium is guaranteed to make people look twice. For some, it is an exciting glimpse of the future. For others, it raises an obvious question: is this crowd safety, or surveillance with paws?

That reaction is understandable, but it is also why the World Cup is a useful moment to demystify robotics. In Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, local authorities have introduced four K9-X robot dogs as part of the public-safety strategy around Estadio Monterrey, one of the FIFA World Cup 2026 venues. The city says the robots have cameras, night vision and voice-warning functions, and can support monitoring, prevention and first response.^[1] Estadio Monterrey is due to host four World Cup matches.^[2]

These systems are not free-roaming robot police officers. In most deployments, “autonomous” means a machine can move, stabilise itself, avoid obstacles or follow a planned route, while people remain responsible for decisions. Think of them less as mechanical guard dogs and more as mobile safety assistants: sensors, cameras and communication tools on legs.

Used strategically, that could make mass gatherings safer without making them feel more controlled. A robot can inspect a blocked corridor, check a suspicious package, or send live images to a command centre before a steward, paramedic or police officer is asked to enter. It can also help teams spot congestion early, guide people away from bottlenecks and respond faster when conditions change.

The distinction between safety and surveillance matters. In the United States, reports around World Cup-related security prompted claims that Boston Dynamics Spot robots were being used for facial scanning. Boston Dynamics said the robots at designated World Cup venues are intended for perimeter inspections and support with suspicious packages or hazardous materials, and do not have facial-recognition capabilities.^[3]

Privacy-friendly robotics should focus on conditions, not identities. At a busy match, the safety question is usually: is this gate becoming overcrowded, is an exit blocked, has an object been left unattended, does someone need help? Answering those questions does not require identifying every fan.

There are useful precedents. During Singapore’s 2020 trial of Spot in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, the robot supported safe-distancing work by estimating visitor numbers, with the Government Technology Agency saying that no personal data would be collected.^[4] Paris 2024 showed both opportunity and concern: France authorised AI video tools to flag crowd surges, abandoned objects and fires, with human operators reviewing alerts, while facial recognition remained banned.^[5]

Accountability is therefore essential. Organisers should publish what systems do, who operates them, what data is collected, and who manages it and how mistakes can be challenged. Robots should be unarmed, clearly labelled and used for defined safety purposes. Facial recognition or licence-plate recognition should not be quietly added to systems introduced for crowd safety. Humans must remain accountable for decisions.

That approach fits the FIFA World Cup 2026 Human Rights Framework, which highlights the need to protect dignity and address privacy risks linked to personal data, surveillance and AI technology.^[6] It also reflects work at the University of Liverpool.. The University’s Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone (CHI-Zone), supported by the Virtual Engineering Centre, is helping developers test data-driven and technology-enabled health and social-care solutions with care providers, people with lived experience and industry partners.^[7] CHI-Zone’s work on assistive robotics, AI care coordination and remote monitoring shows that the same foundations behind event-safety robotics – mobility, sensing, human-centred design and responsible data use – can help in everyday settings.^[8]

The future of robotics should not be a choice between safety and privacy.

At the World Cup, the real test is whether autonomous technology can work in public, for the public, while respecting the people it is there to protect.