Chelsea Football Club has announced a multi-year global partnership with IFS, a move the Premier League side says will place advanced artificial intelligence at the core of its football performance and operations.
In a statement published on Friday, the club confirmed that IFS has been elevated to Principal Partner with immediate effect and will appear on the front of the team’s shirts for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.
The deal ends a prolonged period without a permanent principal shirt sponsor following the conclusion of Chelsea’s partnership with telecommunications firm Three in 2023. Since then, the club has featured short-term front-of-shirt sponsors, including Infinite Athlete and Damac.
Under the new arrangement, IFS branding will debut on the men’s shirts for Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Burnley at Stamford Bridge. It will also appear on the women’s kit for Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash with Manchester United Women.
Chelsea described the agreement as the start of a long-term collaboration designed to embed AI across football performance, operational efficiency and fan engagement.
IFS, which provides Industrial AI software to organisations tackling complex operational challenges, will deploy its technology and AI agents across the club’s structures to enhance decision-making and precision.
According to Chelsea, the partnership will improve performance “in almost every aspect of the club’s work,” connecting people, assets and intelligence in real time. The club said the initiative positions it at the forefront of football’s technological evolution, strengthening its competitive edge on the pitch while enhancing the experience of millions of supporters worldwide.
Chelsea president Jason Gannon described the partnership as a strategic step forward.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with IFS and leverage their leading-edge AI software to help propel the club to even greater success,” he said. “This partnership is a statement of intent to keep leading in this field, harnessing the opportunities advanced technology brings and unlocking the power of AI to improve everything we do on and off the pitch.”
IFS Chief Executive Officer Mark Moffat said the collaboration was rooted in shared standards of excellence.
“In sport as in industry, the margins are small, the stakes are high, and the right decision at the right moment is everything. That’s what IFS Industrial AI delivers for the industries that power the global economy. Chelsea FC holds itself to that same uncompromising standard, and that shared ambition is exactly why we’re proud to be their Principal Partner,” Moffat said.
