Applications of Artificial Intelligence in the Game of Football: The Global Perspective

Purpose: Football is a very dynamic and high paced game in which minutest detail may be the reason for a win or a loose, but the human eye sometimes fails to capture these small details. That’s where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes into the picture. Football has seen the onset of applications of AI in the last few years, but the scope of AI is still not clear. Also, the limitations of AI should also be familiar to the stakeholders of the game. The study explores the unknown side of AI in the game of Football. Methodology: The work is based on exploratory study on the applications of AI in the game of Football. The study tried to explore the various ways in which AI is applied in present and can be applied in future in the game of football. The study has also explored the limitations of using AI or any kind of machine interference in this beautiful game. Finally, the study identified the scope of further study under this topic. Findings: Overall, the study found that with the help of AI and other varied technologies, teams are able to discover new potential and achieve goals which were thought to be impossible before especially in enhancing team competitiveness, decision making and better customer experience. The technology is still immature and needs significant improvement. Implications: The study implies AI has been highly beneficial to the game of Football as a whole, but at the same time AI has not been completely utilised as per its capabilities. Originality: The study talks about some unprecedented applications of AI in football, and also talks about some unfamiliar limitations of AI.