Bundesliga and Playmobil Bring Bayern-Dortmund Clash Into Virtual World With AI-Powered Live Broadcast.

Roger Hampel

Image: Bundesliga

The Bundesliga has partnered with Playmobil, Sky Sport and RTL Deutschland to deliver an AI-powered virtual broadcast of Bayern Munich's 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund on October 31, 2026, recreating the entire match in real time using animated Playmobil figures.

The alternative broadcast, titled Sky Sport Spezial – Next Level, ran alongside the traditional television coverage, with player movements, passes and goals reproduced in a virtual environment using official Bundesliga tracking data.

The league described the project as the first full live match by a professional football league presented on this scale within a virtual entertainment environment.

AI and 3D Tracking Power Virtual Match Coverage Bundesliga

The production used the Bundesliga's 3D player-tracking infrastructure, introduced for the 2025/26 season, to capture the movements of players and the ball throughout the match.

The system tracks players through digital skeletal models containing 21 data points, including joints and other body positions. The same technology is used to support semi-automated offside decisions.

AI-powered tracking systems from EA TRACAB processed the match data, which was transferred to Trickshot and rendered through Unreal Engine to create the animated Playmobil environment.

The broadcast also featured separate commentary, interactive mini-games and alternative camera perspectives, including a Jet-Pack Camera.

Viewers could influence selected elements of the production through voting features in the TOGGO app.

Sky, RTL+ and International Broadcasters Distribute Virtual Feed

In Germany, the alternative broadcast was available through Sky Sport Bundesliga 3, WOW and RTL+, with additional pre-match coverage on TOGGO.

The virtual feed was also distributed internationally through Bundesliga media partners, including DAZN in Canada and Spain, ESPN in Latin America, Eleven Sports on YouTube in Poland and Telemundo in the United States.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the broadcast was available through the Bundesliga's YouTube channel and official app.

The international distribution extended the format beyond the German domestic market, allowing broadcasters to offer an alternative presentation of the same live sporting event.

Playmobil Partnership Expands Beyond Licensed Merchandise

The virtual broadcast builds on the Bundesliga's existing commercial relationship with Playmobil, which includes a licensed collection of 198 player figures representing all 18 Bundesliga clubs.

The collection features 11 players from each club, with individual kits and player characteristics reproduced in Playmobil's established figure format.

The Bayern-Dortmund broadcast extended the partnership from physical merchandise into live sports entertainment, incorporating Playmobil's visual identity directly into a Bundesliga media product.