Chelsea Football Club has signed a multi-year global partnership with IFS, citing the arrangement as a step toward integrating advanced artificial intelligence into the heart of its football performance and operations.
In a statement posted on its website on Friday, the Premier League club announced that IFS will be promoted to Principal Partner with immediate effect and will appear on the club’s front shirt for the rest of the 2025/26 season.
Chelsea has been without a permanent major jersey sponsor since its agreement with telecoms provider Three terminated in 2023.
Under the new agreement, the IFS logo will appear on the men’s squad shirts for Saturday’s Premier League match against Burnley at Stamford Bridge.
It will also appear on the women’s team jersey for Sunday’s Women’s Super League match versus Manchester United.
The Blues had previously had short-term front-of-shirt sponsors, including sports technology business Infinite Athlete and property developer Damac.
According to the club, the agreement marks the start of a long-term partnership aimed at integrating AI into football performance, operational excellence, and fan engagement.
“Chelsea Football Club today announces a multi-year global partnership with IFS, the world’s leading provider of industrial AI. As part of this commitment, IFS will be elevated to Principal Partner with immediate effect, featuring on the front of our shirt for the remainder of the 2025/26 season—marking the beginning of a long-term collaboration that places advanced AI at the heart of football performance, operational excellence, and fan engagement.”
IFS, described as the world’s leading vendor of industrial AI software, provides AI-powered solutions to organizations to manage challenging operational challenges.
According to the agreement, the company will use its software and AI agents at Chelsea to increase precision across the club’s operations.
Chelsea announced that the alliance would improve performance “in almost every aspect of the club’s work,” with the use of AI connecting people, assets, and intelligence in real time.
According to the club, the decision puts it at the forefront of football’s technical innovation, sharpening its competitive edge on the field while also boosting the experience for millions of fans worldwide.
The club noted that incorporating advanced AI into its structures underlines its long-term goal of setting a standard for performance and innovation in global sport.
Chelsea president Jason Gannon stated, “We are incredibly proud to partner with IFS and leverage their leading-edge AI software to help propel the club to even greater success.
“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.”
Chief Executive Officer of IFS, Mark Moffat, stated that the partnership was built on 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.
