May 27, 2026, 12:27 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
When thinking of a major tech company and smartphone manufacturer, sports might not immediately come to mind. However, the two worlds are closely intertwined, as Apple recently demonstrated with soccer. The Californians have elevated TV broadcasts of the popular sport to a new, technical level.
Apple filmed soccer match using only iPhones
On May 23, 2026, a Major League Soccer (MLS) match between LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo FC took place in the U.S. This was no ordinary game. It marked the first time iPhones were used to film and broadcast a major professional sports event live, as Apple announced in a press release.
For this, only 15 iPhone 17 Pro units were used, as Apple also shared on Instagram. The smartphones captured various perspectives from the stadium and, due to their small size, could be placed in locations inaccessible to traditional TV cameras, such as unique angles within the goals themselves. The game was broadcast on Apple’s own streaming service, Apple TV.
Initial tests already in baseball
Apple’s involvement in soccer was preceded by initial tests in baseball. As early as September 2025, during a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers, the iPhone 17 Pro was used to capture select moments. The experiment was a complete success, leading the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum to include the iPhone used for the broadcast in its permanent exhibit.
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Subsequently, Apple expanded the use of iPhones in sports, including several soccer tournaments and league games. Whether more sports leagues and events worldwide will switch to iPhones in the long term remains to be seen. It might just remain a curiosity. On the other hand, Hollywood has already noticed that filming with smartphones offers many advantages.