PlayReplay secures $12m for Middle East expansion

PlayReplay has raised $12 million in a new funding round as it looks to expand internationally and build a stronger presence in the Middle East. The company develops AI-powered smart court systems for racquet sports, combining electronic line calling, coaching tools and analytics in a single platform. The round included support from Alfvén & Didrikson, Centre Court Capital, ExM Investment Partners, Charbe Partners, Crimson Sports Capital and a fund managed by LionTree. As part of the next phase, PlayReplay has identified Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Egypt as priority growth markets and is working with Söderhub as a regional partner to support investment and institutional relationships on the ground.

Racquet sports are one of the clearest examples of where AI can move quickly from elite competition into everyday participation environments. The courts themselves become the data layer, which opens up coaching, officiating and player experience without requiring athletes to change behaviour much at all. The Middle East is a sensible next step for that model because the region continues to invest heavily in tennis, padel and adjacent participation formats, while also building the venue and academy infrastructure that technology products like this need in order to scale. For PlayReplay, the attraction is obvious. For the market, it is another sign that the next wave of regional sports growth will not only be about rights and events, but also about the systems that sit inside the venue itself.