West Ham United has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and AI specialist Crayon to develop what is being described as one of football’s most advanced scouting platforms.
The Premier League club says the generative AI-powered system will overhaul how it identifies and evaluates talent across global markets.
It makes The Hammers the first in world football to deploy an end-to-end generative AI scouting tool tailored specifically for its first team and academy.
Built using AWS technologies including Amazon SageMaker and Amazon Bedrock, the platform will combine AI, machine learning and generative AI to analyse large volumes of player data.
The aim is to give scouts deeper insight into performance, development potential, suitability to squad needs and financial fit, whilst complementing traditional live scouting.
“The platform we are developing using AI and machine learning builds comprehensive models to evaluate players across multiple dimensions – performance, playing style, team dynamics, age, experience and financial fit – ensuring recruitment aligns with team goals,” said Maximilian Hahn, head of technical recruitment and analysis at West Ham United.
“By automating and streamlining these processes, we can analyse vast datasets across markets and efficiently identify top talent, making player selection more strategic, consistent and future-focused.”
The club will receive ongoing support from Crayon’s Center of Excellence and the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center as it builds and refines the new tool.
Crayon, which has previously delivered major AI projects for Bundesliga clubs, said the collaboration showcases the next frontier of sports technology.
Tim Ellefsen, VP of public cloud at the Norway-based company, added: “Building on successful AI projects in the German Bundesliga, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what this technology can achieve.
“This collaboration between ourselves, AWS and West Ham United is a testament to our dedication to innovation and excellence.
“Leveraging data as a key competitive advantage means that this AI-powered scouting tool will revolutionise the way football talent is scouted and evaluated, delivering unmatched accuracy and efficiency to the process.”