Football is no longer a 90-minute business.
Football clubs now operate as year-round, always-on commerce ecosystems. The relationship with a supporter begins long before kick-off and continues long after the final whistle - through merchandise, ticketing, membership, hospitality, content, and every moment in between. Yet too many of these touchpoints still sit in separate systems, creating friction for fans and limiting the organization’s ability to understand and grow each relationship.
The opportunity is significant. The global sports market is projected to reach $651 billion by 2028. Licensed sports merchandise is projected to reach $59.38 billion by 2033, while sports ticketing is projected to reach $65.34 billion. With mobile accounting for 61.9% of sports e-commerce sales, digital commerce is no longer a supporting channel. It is the front door to the fan relationship.
The commercial case is increasingly clear. Digitally advanced Premier League clubs have achieved 23% higher commercial revenue growth than their peers. Across the world’s leading clubs, the 2024-25 Money League generated more than €12 billion in combined revenue, including more than €5 billion in commercial revenue. The difference is not simply a larger digital presence. It is the ability to remove friction, connect data, respond to demand in real time, and make every interaction more relevant.
The Digital Transformation of Football Commerce brings together perspectives from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Boca Juniors, Botafogo, Econverse, Flamengo, Infracommerce, Manchester City, Palmeiras, Sportian, VTEX, and many more. The White Paper explores how leading organizations are moving from isolated transactions to connected, flexible fan ecosystems built for global scale.
From unified commerce architecture and composable technology to AI-driven personalization and omnichannel fan journeys, the report offers a practical view of what comes next. It is for leaders looking to modernize an e-commerce platform, consolidate a fragmented stack, expand into new markets, or build a more meaningful, 365-day relationship with their fans.
