Alibaba Partners with UEFA Men’s Club Competitions and UEFA EURO 2028
Alibaba has become UEFA’s official and exclusive partner for artificial intelligence, cloud computing services, and e-commerce. The partnership will enable the use of Alibaba Cloud and Qwen Artificial Intelligence to deliver smart operations and personalized digital experiences for fans.
Alibaba Group announced a multi-year partnership with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and UC3, the joint venture between UEFA and European Football Clubs (EFC) that controls and manages the strategic marketing, sales, and implementation of commercial rights for UEFA club competitions. Alibaba Group has become the official and exclusive AI, Cloud Computing Services, and E-commerce partner of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, and UEFA EURO 2028 from 2027/2028 to 2032/2033.
Alibaba Will Power Fan and Content Experiences Across UEFA’s Flagship Competitions
As part of the partnership, Alibaba’s advanced artificial intelligence capabilities will be used to support fan engagement as well as media and content management through the Qwen Large Language Model (LLM). Together with its cloud computing infrastructure and global e-commerce platform, Alibaba will power immersive fan and content experiences worldwide across UEFA’s flagship competitions.
“Alibaba Will Support UEFA’s Goal of Enhancing the Experience of Fans Around the World”
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: “We are delighted to welcome Alibaba as a global partner for UEFA EURO 2028 and as a future partner of our men’s club competitions. Their expertise in artificial intelligence, cloud computing technology, and e-commerce will support UEFA’s commitment to thoughtful innovation and its goal of enhancing the experience of supporters around the world. Together, we can bring fans closer to the game in new and meaningful ways, making our competitions feel even more captivating, engaging, and accessible, while preserving the traditions, emotions, and spirit that define European football.”
“We Believe That the Unifying Power of Football Is the Mission That Brings Alibaba and UEFA Together”
Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai said: “We believe that football is a shared language around the world and that the unifying power of the game at all levels for all fans is the mission that brings Alibaba and UEFA together. I am excited to work with UEFA to realize the vision of this multi-year partnership. We will commit our cloud computing, full-stack artificial intelligence, and global e-commerce capabilities to support UEFA and UC3 in delivering these iconic competitions to fans around the world.”
Qwen LLM Will Support UEFA in Building Its Own Next-Generation AI Capabilities
Alibaba’s cloud infrastructure and Qwen LLM will support UEFA in building its own next-generation artificial intelligence capabilities. Fans will benefit from personalized, AI-powered experiences that deepen their engagement with the sport. Through Alibaba’s global e-commerce network, fans around the world will soon be able to enjoy seamless access to a wide range of official merchandise from the UEFA men’s club competitions and UEFA EURO 2028™ starting from 2027/2028.
This partnership sets a new global benchmark in sports innovation. By combining UEFA’s unique sporting heritage and global fan base with Alibaba’s expertise in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and e-commerce, it creates a scalable model for sports federations, leagues, and teams to engage with fans worldwide.
The development and execution of the partnership between UEFA, UC3, and Alibaba was facilitated by Relevent, the world’s leading commercial rights partner dedicated to international football. The UE FA EURO 2028 partnership will be managed by CAA11.