The new partnership will seek to utilise AI for drafting and reviewing contracts, including players, employees and commercial agreements.
Cambridge United Football Club recently announced a partnership with Cambridge‑born legal‑tech pioneer Genie AI, making United the first professional football club to manage all player contracts through AI agents*. The move is expected to reduce external legal spend and shrink deal‑turnaround times with several player signings planned before the transfer window closes on 1st September at 19:00 BST.
Following recent major infrastructure investments including a new training ground and stadium buyback, Cambridge United continues to embrace Premier-League-level innovation, United handles a high volume of agreements behind the scenes, from sponsorships and catering to complex multi-party property agreements. Genie AI’s platform automatically drafts, reviews and tracks the club’s commercial obligations and uses the club’s pre‑approved language, surfacing clause variations and suggesting fixes in seconds.
Early pilots on supplier and player contracts indicate that legal review cycles could fall from weeks to days, freeing CUFC staff to focus more on player recruitment, innovation and fan‑experience. The partnership brings together two local Cambridge success stories and underscores the city’s reputation as a hub for AI and innovation, with deep links between its tech scene and sporting institutions
“There’s a growing conversation about AI in Cambridge, in football and across the legal world. Partnering with a home‑grown innovator like Genie AI keeps us at the forefront,” said Alex Tunbridge, CEO of Cambridge United FC. “If we can keep the same legal quality while saving serious time and money, that’s exactly the kind of smart decision that lets us reinvest in players, facilities and our matchday experience.”
“Growing up in Cambridge, it’s an absolute pleasure to help the Club sign their players in line with the EFL regulations through the use of AI” added Rafie Faruq, Co‑Founder & CEO of Genie AI. “The challenges Cambridge United faces in managing contracts – ensuring accuracy, reducing turnaround times, and maintaining fairness – are shared by organisations everywhere. Our technology empowers them to focus on the pitch while Genie safely handles the paperwork.”
The Genie AI system will be rolled out across United’s this month, with player signings and sponsorships work slated as the live test cases. The partners plan to share results with the wider football community later this season.
*No football club has publicly stated that it uses Artificial Intelligence for the specific tasks of drafting, reviewing, or negotiating player contracts.
Image: Alex Tunbridge, CEO, Cambridge United FC
