Blog Post - 18 September 2025
Ronan Whitehead - Data Training Specialist
https://ioaglobal.org/blog/ai-football-double-edged-sword-many-ways/
This article aims to look at how AI is transforming modern football already. It highlights the opportunities to help clubs and leagues grow and reshape the competitive balance but also the risks the implementation and reliance on it can cause. It highlights the need for balance between data and human intuition.
In some of the top clubs, AI is not only experimental but is core to operations within the club. Clubs such as Liverpool, Brighton, and Manchester City were mentioned as being some of the clubs that are investing in AI for scouting, match/tactical analysis, injury prevention and training load.
As Hearts Football club has been recently received investment from Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics meaning a club in a league currently dominated by few rich clubs is given access to analytics that could help level the playing field.
However this influx in using AI come with risks. While it can help smaller clubs compete, if bigger clubs also deploy more powerful tools, the gap can widens and creates an even bigger inequality than there already is. Another issue is the models could have a built in bias for example overlooking talent that doesn’t match existing statistical norms.
It also highlights the importance of human judgement as AI should be informing potential decisions not dictating the decisions made. Coaches should sill be able to use their own intuition, creativity and take risks.