BUDAPEST, Hungary, 6 June 2026 (The Capital Post) – Alibaba Group has announced a multi-year partnership with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and UC3, becoming the official and exclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing Services and E-commerce partner for UEFA’s premier men’s club competitions and UEFA EURO 2028.
Under the agreement, Alibaba will support the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League from the 2027/2028 season through 2032/2033, while also partnering with UEFA EURO 2028.
The collaboration will leverage Alibaba’s advanced cloud infrastructure and Qwen large language model (LLM) to enhance fan engagement, media management and content delivery across UEFA competitions worldwide.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said the partnership reflects UEFA’s commitment to innovation while preserving the traditions and spirit of European football.
“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 enhancing the experience of supporters around the world,” he said.
Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai described football as a universal language that unites people globally and said the partnership aligns with the company’s mission of connecting fans through technology.
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“We will commit our cloud computing, full-stack AI and global e-commerce capabilities to support UEFA and UC3 in delivering these iconic competitions to fans around the world,” he said.
As part of the collaboration, Alibaba’s cloud infrastructure and Qwen AI platform will help UEFA develop next-generation AI capabilities. Supporters are expected to benefit from personalised digital experiences designed to deepen engagement with the sport.
The partnership will also allow football fans worldwide to gain easier access to official merchandise from UEFA men’s club competitions and UEFA EURO 2028 through Alibaba’s global e-commerce ecosystem.
Industry observers view the agreement as a significant milestone in sports technology, combining UEFA’s global sporting reach with Alibaba’s expertise in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital commerce to create new opportunities for fan engagement.
The partnership was facilitated by Relevent, a leading commercial rights partner in international football, while the UEFA EURO 2028 sponsorship programme will be managed by CAA11 .–The Capital Post
