AI likeness licensing for football clubs: a guide for commercial teams
How football clubs can work with sponsors on AI-generated player content while respecting player image rights and league rules.
Sponsors increasingly want AI-generated content featuring players. Clubs sit in the middle: they control kit, crests and team image rights, while players control their individual likeness.
Who controls what
- The club: crest, kit, stadium and group image rights in its player contracts.
- The player: individual image rights, often through a personal company.
- The league: central marks, broadcast footage and competition branding.
A workable model
- Group licences for squad-wide content, with player approval for individual depictions.
- A shared rights check before any brief is accepted.
- Revenue splits written into the licence.
What sponsors get
Faster content, multilingual versions and personalised activations, with approved, labelled outputs.
Frequently asked questions
Can a club license a player's likeness for AI without the player?
Usually only within the scope of the image-rights agreement in the player's contract. Individual AI depictions should have the player's approval.