IFS has announced a multi-year agreement with Chelsea Football Club to deploy its Industrial AI technology across the Premier League club’s business operations, with the company saying the move is intended to establish a new approach to the use of artificial intelligence in elite football.
The agreement builds on the global principal partnership between the two organisations first announced in February.
According to IFS, its technology will be progressively embedded across Chelsea’s operations, beginning with finance and procurement before expanding to additional Industrial AI capabilities, including asset management and facility operations.
IFS said its software will become part of the club’s operational systems, using its IFS.ai platform to improve operational performance, increase efficiency and identify opportunities for future growth.
In the initial phase of the rollout, the company said its technology will provide Chelsea with real-time visibility into finance operations, automate manual processes and support an end-to-end procurement workflow covering supplier onboarding, contract management and spend visibility.
IFS said the phased implementation aligns with Chelsea’s objective of becoming one of the most operationally advanced clubs in world football through the adoption of Industrial AI technologies.
Mark Moffat, chief executive officer of IFS, said the partnership would demonstrate how industrial-grade AI could be applied in a high-performance sporting environment.
“Chelsea FC operates in a world where performance, precision and pressure are non-negotiable. That’s exactly the kind of environment where IFS Industrial AI thrives and delivers,” Moffat said.
“This partnership will demonstrate to the world what’s possible when elite ambition meets industrial-grade AI.”
IFS said it currently manages more than US$2.4 trillion in critical assets for customers across sectors including manufacturing, energy and aerospace, and that the same Industrial AI capabilities used in those industries will now be applied to Chelsea’s operations.
Chelsea Football Club chief financial officer Adriel Lares said the agreement marked the next stage of the organisations’ partnership.
“Advanced technology is transforming the way businesses operate and we are excited to be moving into the next phase of our partnership with IFS to realise the opportunities AI software presents,” Lares said.
According to IFS, the agreement is expected to expand over time beyond finance and procurement to include asset management and facility operations as part of the club’s broader operational strategy.
