Premier League and Microsoft Kick Off New AI Era with Five-Year Deal

The Premier League has signed a landmark five-year partnership with Microsoft, appointing the tech giant as its official cloud and AI partner in a move set to redefine how fans engage with the league. The deal, which will span until the end of the 2029/30 season, positions Microsoft at the centre of the league’s digital transformation, with a particular focus on personalisation, data infrastructure and real-time fan interaction.

At the heart of the collaboration is the new “Premier League Companion,” an AI-powered feature that allows fans to engage with match insights, historical statistics and multimedia content using natural language queries. Built on Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI and Copilot technologies, the tool provides supporters with direct access to over 30 seasons of data, 300,000 editorial pieces and 10,000 video assets. Whether searching for a club’s all-time top scorers or reliving historic moments, fans can now get intelligent, conversational answers enhanced by visual content.

The Companion will be available via the Premier League app and website and is expected to roll out further integrations throughout the season. It marks a clear shift towards AI-enhanced experiences as football seeks to appeal to increasingly tech-native and globally distributed audiences.

Beyond the fan-facing features, the partnership will see the Premier League migrate its backend infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, improving operational efficiency and enabling more responsive digital services.

Microsoft tools, including Dynamics 365, Power Platform and Microsoft 365, will be adopted internally to streamline workflows and facilitate data-driven decision-making across the organisation.

Fantasy Premier League users will also benefit from the new alliance. AI-powered insights and recommendations will be embedded within the game, offering suggestions on player selection, matchups and transfers, based on real-time performance data and fan trends. Accessibility features, such as multilingual translation and audio responses, will ensure broader global reach and inclusivity.

For Microsoft, the deal enhances its growing portfolio of sports partnerships, following collaborations with the NBA, NFL and LaLiga. It also underscores the strategic importance of live sport in driving engagement across its cloud and AI services.