We already knew that the 2014 soccer World Cup in Brazil would be shot and broadcast in 4K, but FIFA has now confirmed that that a few matches will also be shot in 8K in a partnership with Japanese NHK. 

Soccer in 8K resolution
Japanese NHK is a pioneer in the field and has already announced plans to start broadcasting in 8K by 2016. It seems that the 2014 World Cup will be a testbed for 8K shooting. However, only a few matches will be shot in 8K. 


The final will be played at the Maracană stadium and will be shot in 4K

- "With NHK of Japan we are also working on 8K production. This will include a few matches but is a very different arrangement, with a handful of cameras – only a few exist. But it does mean that we can down-convert the 8K camera work to 4K, and make those images available for the 4K productions." says Niclas Ericson, head of FIFA’s TV division to Advanced Television.

Virtually no one owns an 8K TV yet, and very few own a 4K TV, but another clear advantage of high-resolution shooting is the ability to cut out smaller sections of the image or use digital zoom for close-ups.

Sony and FIFA are also planning to shoot three games in 4K resolution that will be broadcast to select viewing stations in Brazil. FIFA is also in ongoing discussions with broadcasters in Asia, the Middle East and Europe to provide a “world feed” of the 4K signal. Sony’s F55 4K cameras will be used.