TL;DR

England are at the cutting edge of AI usage in international football, deploying the technology for everything from penalty analysis to player wellbeing. With 47 World Cup squads’ worth of penalty data and in-house software development teams, the FA is betting on AI to help deliver glory in North America next summer.

Penalties Revolutionised

Alongside coaches and physios, England’s staff now includes analysts, data scientists and in-house software development teams using various AI tools—some purchased externally, some built within the FA.

“When we get to a World Cup, we have 47 teams’ worth of information to profile—where has every player in every squad put every penalty since they were 16?” explains Rhys Long, the FA’s head of performance insights and analysis since 2016.

The AI can identify “certain tendencies for where opposition players put their penalties that we probably weren’t thinking of,” helping England’s players make better decisions during high-pressure shootouts.

Data-Driven Decision Making

The technology analyses data, finds patterns, and creates presentations that make complex information understandable for coaches and players. AI tools help identify tactical weaknesses in opponents and support player welfare by monitoring training loads and recovery.

The goal is enabling players to make better decisions on the pitch, with AI serving as a support system rather than a replacement for human judgement.

Looking Forward

Under new head coach Thomas Tuchel, England’s AI-enhanced approach represents a significant competitive advantage. For UK businesses, the FA’s strategy offers lessons in AI implementation: combining external technology with bespoke in-house tools, focusing on augmenting human decision-making, and making complex data accessible to non-technical stakeholders.

Source: BBC Sport