UEFA has officially partnered with Alibaba Group in a long-term cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence or AI, cloud computing services, and e-commerce. This deal shows a new direction for European football: matches remain on the field, but the fight for fans' attention is increasingly happening on the screen.
Quoted from Xinhua, Sunday, May 31, UEFA announced the cooperation in Budapest, Friday, May 30. Alibaba will be the exclusive official partner for AI, cloud computing, and e-commerce for the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League.
The cooperation is valid from the 2027/2028 season to 2032/2033. Alibaba is also a partner for UEFA EURO 2028.
UEFA calls this partnership part of its efforts to strengthen digital capabilities, expand global fan engagement, and improve the match-watching experience.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said Alibaba's expertise in AI, cloud computing, and e-commerce is in line with UEFA's direction to drive innovation.
"Together with Alibaba, we will bring fans closer to the game through newer and more meaningful ways," Ceferin said.
He said the UEFA competition is expected to be more exciting, accessible, and more immersive, without abandoning the traditions and emotions of European football.
"Immersive" means a viewing experience that feels closer and more alive. Viewers not only see the score, but can also get replays, data, and match information in a more interactive way.
During the period of cooperation, Alibaba will use its AI technology, including Qwen, Alibaba's in-house large language model. This technology will be used to support fan interaction, media content management, and event communication.
Alibaba will also leverage its global cloud computing network and e-commerce platform to support UEFA's digital services.
Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai said UEFA's interest in sports and technology meetings was one of the main reasons for the cooperation.
"AI is changing sports, and AI is also changing the fan experience," Tsai said.
He gave an example of the use of AI-based 360-degree replay technology at the Paris Olympics and the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. According to him, the technology can make the viewing experience feel closer.
Tsai said this partnership will bring Alibaba's global cloud computing, AI, and e-commerce capabilities to UEFA's flagship competitions. Its coverage includes media services, fan engagement, and digital infrastructure.
"The part that excites me the most is the possibility of using AI to transform the fan experience," Tsai said.
He said Qwen can help fans access information about football, clubs, and players in a more interactive way.
In modern football, UEFA's move is easy to read. Big clubs and competitions are no longer enough to just sell matches. They also manage broadcasting, short content, statistics, fan data, and merchandise sales in one ecosystem.
For fans in Indonesia, the impact is likely to be felt in the way they enjoy the Champions League and other UEFA competitions. Match information can be faster. Content can be more personal. The viewing experience can also be richer, as long as the service is really open and running well in each market.
Xinhua noted that UC3, a joint venture between UEFA and the European Club Association, is responsible for managing the commercial rights of UEFA club competitions.
Still according to Xinhua, this cooperation extends Alibaba's footprint in the global digitization of sports. Alibaba became a World Olympic Partner in 2017 and has since supported the International Olympic Committee's digital transformation.
At the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, cloud-based broadcasting was used on a large scale. At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the core system of the Olympics was for the first time completely moved to cloud computing.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, cloud-based broadcasting for the first time surpassed satellite transmission as the main method of broadcasting. Meanwhile, at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the IOC introduced the first official Olympic language model based on Alibaba's Qwen technology.
European football remains alive because of history, rivalry, and fanaticism. Now UEFA is adding AI behind the scenes. The challenge is simple: the technology must bring the audience closer to football, not just closer to the screen.
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