Cambridge United FC has partnered with Cambridge‑born LegalTech Genie AI, making The U’s the first professional football club to manage all player contracts through AI agents.
The move comes in an attempt to reduce external legal spend and shrink deal‑turnaround times with several player signings planned before the transfer window closes on September 1st.
The club was relegated to League Two last season but has had recent major infrastructure investments, including a new training ground and stadium buyback.
This means that it is handling 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 staff to focus more on player recruitment, innovation and fan‑experience.
“There’s a growing conversation about AI in Cambridge, in football and across the legal world,” said Alex Tunbridge, CEO of Cambridge United FC. “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.”
Rafie Faruq, co-founder and CEO of Genie AI, added: “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.
“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 system will be rolled out 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.
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