Cambridge United have partnered with Genie AI to become the first club to manage player contracts using Artificial Intelligence…
The new partnership - with Cambridge‑born legal‑tech pioneer Genie AI - will seek to utilise AI for drafting and reviewing contracts, including players, employees and commercial agreements.
The move makes United the first professional football club to manage all player contracts through AI agents*, and is expected to reduce external legal spend and shrink deal‑turnaround times, with several player signings planned before the transfer window closes on 1st September at 19:00 BST.
Genie AI’s platform automatically drafts, reviews and tracks the club’s commercial obligations and uses the club’s pre‑approved language, surfacing clause variations and suggesting fixes in seconds.
Early pilots on supplier and player contracts indicate that legal review cycles could fall from weeks to days, freeing CUFC staff to focus more on player recruitment, innovation and fan‑experience. The partnership brings together two local Cambridge success stories and underscores the city's reputation as a hub for AI and innovation, with deep links between its tech scene and sporting institutions.
CEO Alex Tunbridge said, “There’s a growing conversation about AI in Cambridge, in football and across the legal world. Partnering with a home‑grown innovator like Genie AI keeps us at the forefront.
“If we can keep the same legal quality while saving serious time and money, that’s exactly the kind of smart decision that lets us reinvest in players, facilities and our matchday experience community.”
“Growing up in Cambridge, it’s an absolute pleasure to help the Club sign their players in line with EFL regulations, through the use of AI” added Rafie Faruq, Co‑Founder & CEO of Genie AI.
“The challenges Cambridge United faces in managing contracts - ensuring accuracy, reducing turnaround times, and maintaining fairness - are shared by organisations everywhere.
“Our technology empowers them to focus on the pitch while Genie safely handles the paperwork.”
The Genie AI system will be rolled out across the club this month, with player signings and sponsorships work slated as the live test cases. The partners plan to share results with the wider football community later this season.
Notes to editors:
*No football club has publicly stated that it uses Artificial Intelligence for the specific tasks of drafting, reviewing, or negotiating player contracts.
Methodology and Sources
The research involved searching for public statements from football clubs, focusing on major leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, and others, using keywords like "football clubs AI player contracts," "AI contract negotiation," and specific club names paired with "AI contracts." Sources included official club websites, news articles from reputable outlets (e.g., Sky Sports, The Guardian, ZDNET), and technology-focused platforms. The analysis also considered third-party AI tools marketed to football clubs, inferring potential usage based on their descriptions and case studies.
Findings: Public Statements and Evidence
The research identified no clear instances where a football club has publicly stated their use of AI specifically for the tasks of drafting, reviewing, or negotiating player contracts. While there are (rare) examples of AI being used in related areas that influence contract decisions (e.g. FC Barcelona), the direct application to contract management tasks remains unconfirmed by clubs.
The evidence leans toward AI being used for scouting, recruitment, performance analysis, and decisions impacting contracts, but not for the direct tasks of contract management.
