Cambridge United Becomes First Football Club to Manage Player Contracts Using AI Agents

English football club Cambridge United has partnered with legal-tech company Genie AI to manage all player contracts through AI agents, becoming the first professional football club to do so.

The club will use Genie AI’s platform to draft, review, and track contracts for players, staff, and commercial agreements. The system uses pre-approved legal language and flags clause variations, allowing for faster turnaround times and reduced legal costs.

Player signings completed before the 1st September transfer window deadline will serve as early test cases for the rollout. Initial trials suggest that legal review cycles could be reduced from weeks to days.

“There’s a growing conversation about AI in Cambridge, in football and across the legal world,” said Cambridge United CEO Alex Tunbridge. “Partnering with a home-grown innovator like Genie AI keeps us at the forefront. 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 community.”

The platform will also be used for sponsorship and supplier contracts, with plans to publish results later this season. Genie AI’s tools surface differences in clauses and suggest fixes in seconds, replacing lengthy manual review processes.

“Growing up in Cambridge, it’s an absolute pleasure to help the Club sign their players in line with EFL regulations, through the use of AI,” said Rafie Faruq, Co-Founder and 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 partnership connects two local Cambridge-based organisations and reflects growing collaboration between the city’s tech and sports communities.