Samer Choucair: Sports Technology Is Emerging as a New Driver of Investment Returns
Entrepreneur Samer Choucair said the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence across major sports clubs represents a structural transformation that is redefining football as both a data-driven technology sector and a sporting industry.
He noted that institutional investors increasingly view clubs as digital platforms capable of generating proprietary knowledge assets with long-term economic value.
Choucair explained that Arsenal’s decision to appoint a research engineer specialising in the development of integrated artificial intelligence applications—to analyse performance and convert research into operational tools for the first team—demonstrates how competitive advantage is shifting from the pitch to data, research, and development departments.
He added that these developments coincide with projections that the sports analytics market could approach $10 billion by 2030, while the artificial intelligence in sports market is expected to reach approximately $12.7 billion during 2026 and record a compound annual growth rate exceeding 21% through the early 2030s.
This growth is increasing the sector’s appeal to investment funds and sovereign wealth funds.
Football becomes a data-driven industry
Samer Choucair explained that professional football, particularly the English Premier League, has become a practical laboratory for the application of advanced artificial intelligence technologies, including spatiotemporal models, multi-agent analysis, and embedding-based retrieval techniques.
He noted that the objective is no longer limited to collecting statistics. Clubs are increasingly seeking to convert vast quantities of data into immediate technical and tactical decisions that help coaching teams improve performance, reduce risk, and maximise the value of their human resources.
Choucair added that this transformation increases the economic value of clubs possessing internal research capabilities and widens the competitive gap between them and clubs that rely exclusively on ready-made technology solutions.
Artificial intelligence creates new assets within clubs
Samer Choucair said sports investment is no longer limited to acquiring clubs, broadcasting rights, or sponsorship assets. It now includes developing internal technology infrastructure capable of producing proprietary data and models owned by the club itself.
He explained that these internal technology assets can generate sustainable value through exclusive datasets and intellectual property.
Clubs that successfully integrate scientific research with the practical requirements of coaches and analysts will be best positioned to command higher valuation premiums in the years ahead.
Sports technology enters a rapid-growth phase
Samer Choucair noted that the sports technology market is expanding significantly across wearable devices, automated video analysis, injury-prediction platforms, and performance-optimisation technologies.
He explained that these investments do more than improve the efficiency of sports teams. They also create new sources of revenue by enhancing fan experiences, strengthening commercial sponsorship opportunities, and increasing the value of media broadcasting rights.
Choucair added that this development is making sports technology one of the fastest-growing segments of the global entertainment economy.
Saudi Arabia and the Gulf invest in digital sport
Samer Choucair said Saudi Arabia is moving in the same direction under the objectives of Vision 2030, using technology and artificial intelligence to develop a more competitive and sustainable sports industry.
He noted that HUMAIN, backed by the Public Investment Fund, launched a specialised sports artificial intelligence division after acquiring a controlling stake in a British company focused on scouting and performance-enhancement technologies.
Choucair added that the fund’s investments in sports infrastructure and digital platforms coincide with projections that the Saudi sports sector could exceed $22 billion by 2030.
He explained that these initiatives support the localisation of advanced technologies, create highly skilled employment opportunities, and strengthen the connections between sport, the digital economy, tourism, and entertainment.
Samer Choucair’s assessment: data has become the most valuable asset
Samer Choucair said institutional investors increasingly regard data as one of the most important intangible assets determining the future value of sports clubs.
He explained that owning artificial intelligence models trained on proprietary club data gives sports organisations a competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate.
“The real advantage lies in models trained on exclusive club data,” Choucair said. “Institutional investors who understand this distinction will direct capital toward companies and clubs capable of converting research into practical operating tools.”
He noted that the next phase could bring increased merger and acquisition activity as major clubs seek to acquire specialised start-ups and technical talent.
Financial markets benefit from digital transformation
Samer Choucair explained that the impact of this transformation extends beyond sports clubs to cloud-computing companies, digital infrastructure providers, and sports data businesses, all of which could benefit from increased capital expenditure on advanced technologies.
He added that expanding investment in sports artificial intelligence will also support demand for quantitative and specialist talent while contributing to higher productivity across the global entertainment sector.
Opportunities and risks
Samer Choucair identified several investment opportunities, including the market’s expected rapid growth, the potential to export European sports technologies to emerging markets, and the development of business models generating recurring revenue through technology partnerships.
He explained that the principal risks include rising computing costs, difficulties in attracting technical talent amid competition from major technology companies, and the possibility of weak investment returns if applications remain disconnected from the daily needs of coaching and performance teams.
Choucair emphasised that successful investment in this field requires recognising artificial intelligence as a tool that strengthens human decision-making rather than replaces it.
Funds focused on long-term value creation will favour assets capable of building an integrated relationship between technology, data, and human expertise.
A strategic outlook
Concluding his assessment, Samer Choucair said 2026 represents a new phase in the relationship between technology and the sports industry, with clubs possessing advanced digital infrastructure becoming more capable of attracting capital and generating sustainable value.
He added that the global movement toward integrating artificial intelligence into sporting operations is reshaping institutional investment priorities and making digital infrastructure, data, and intellectual assets central components in the valuation of sports organisations.
Samer Choucair concluded that institutions capable of combining sporting expertise with deep technological capabilities will not merely improve their results on the pitch.
They will also build strategic assets capable of attracting investment and supporting growth in the years ahead, as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the global allocation of capital.