Chelsea Signs a New Sponsorship Agreement with an AI Company
Chelsea Football Club and IFS have announced a multi-year global partnership, which the club describes as an attempt to integrate cutting-edge artificial intelligence into its football operations and performance.
The Premier League team announced on its website on Friday that IFS would be promoted to Principal Partner effective immediately and would be featured on the team’s shirt front for the rest of the 2025–2026 campaign.
Following the termination of their partnership with telecommunications company Three in 2023, Chelsea had been operating without a permanent principal shirt sponsor.
IFS branding will make its debut on the men’s team shirts for Saturday’s Premier League match at Stamford Bridge against Burnley.
Additionally, it will be featured on the women’s team uniform for their matchup with Manchester United in the Women’s Super League on Sunday.
In the past, the Blues have had short-term front-of-shirt partners like real estate developer Damac and sports technology company Infinite Athlete.
According to the club, the partnership was the start of a long-term partnership that will integrate AI into football performance, operational excellence, and fan interaction.
“Chelsea Football Club and IFS, the top supplier of industrial AI worldwide, have announced a multi-year global partnership. The start of a long-term partnership that puts cutting-edge AI at the center of football performance, operational excellence, and fan engagement will be marked by IFS’s promotion to Principal Partner with immediate effect and their appearance on our front of shirt for the rest of the 2025–2026 season.
As the top supplier of industrial AI software worldwide, IFS helps businesses solve difficult operational problems by offering AI-driven solutions.
As part of the deal, Chelsea will use the company’s software and AI agents to increase accuracy throughout the club’s operations.
According to Chelsea, the collaboration would improve performance “in almost every aspect of the club’s work,” and real-time connections between people, assets, and intelligence would be made possible by AI.
The club claims that the move puts it at the forefront of football’s technological advancement, strengthening its competitive advantage on the field and enhancing the experience for millions of fans around the world.
The club added that integrating cutting-edge AI into its operations supports its long-term goal of becoming the standard-setter for performance and innovation in international sports.
“We are extremely proud to partner with IFS and leverage their cutting-edge AI software to help propel the club to even greater success,” stated Jason Gannon, president of Chelsea.
“This partnership is a declaration of intent to continue leading in this field, utilizing the opportunities that come with cutting-edge technology and unleashing the power of AI to improve everything we do on and off the pitch.”
IFS CEO Mark Moffat stated that the collaboration was founded on a common code of excellence.
“Similar to the business world, sports have narrow profit margins, high stakes, and the right choice at the right time is crucial. IFS Industrial AI provides that to the sectors that drive the world economy. We are honored to be Chelsea FC’s Principal Partner because we share their unwavering standards and aspirations,” Moffat stated.
