FIFPRO Technologies BV, a new division of FIFPRO dedicated to fostering the benefits of technology among professional football players, is today announcing a long-term partnership with Sports Data Labs Inc (SDL) to launch a global technology platform for players that will enable them to collect, control, and monetise their data collected both on and off the pitch.

The data-agnostic platform will allow footballers worldwide to safely and securely store, access and share their personal data and other player information gathered from across their careers via one, union and player-controlled data repository. This includes tracking data, physiological data, medical records, genetic data, and other information – including statistical and contextual information – gathered from wearable devices, optical tracking technologies, Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems, and other sources.

Using state-of-the art, AI-based technologies designed for the benefit of the players and based on their preferences and consent, the platform will enable them to host, manage, and exploit such data on both an anonymised and identifiable basis.

Under the partnership, FIFPRO Technologies becomes a shareholder in SDL, joining the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and leading global healthcare provider Cleveland Clinic.

The strategically open platform will allow seamless collaboration with approved third parties, acting as an aggregator of data on behalf of players – including match and training data from clubs and national teams, as well as non-football related personal data.

The goal is to support players in creating and maintaining a master record of all their captured data throughout their careers in order to provide them with a better understanding of their own bodies and performance across their careers, while providing organisations with greater access to, and broader use of, data based on consent preferences from each player on both an individual and group basis in order to create better and more valuable products, insights, and services for both the players and the football performance and commercial ecosystems.

Use of the platform will be free for all professional footballers and FIFPRO union members. It will also act as an authoritative centralised clearinghouse for all third-party uses of their personal data, enabling players to establish their terms, conditions and permissions for how they want their data to be used. Players will participate in a revenue share for any commercialisation opportunities with their data that they elect to participate in through the platform.

FIFPRO Technologies will be building an ecosystem of world-class applications, data partners and industry leaders that have an interest in supporting players by enabling greater access to their own data and leveraging consent-based data to create more value in the football environment. As part of the agreement, SDL becomes the Official Player Data Collection, Consent Management, and Monetisation Provider for FIFPRO Technologies.

Over the coming months, FIFPRO Technologies and SDL will work with footballers and their unions to initiate pilot programs and identify various technology and data partners interested in being part of the FIFPRO player data ecosystem, with the goal of launching the platform in 2025. The platform will include a front-facing player portal powered by SDL that will feature data-based products and services developed by partners approved by FIFPRO Technologies that are streamlined to support players in optimising their on and off-field performance, managing workload, reducing injury risk, contract negotiations, and overall wellbeing.

FIFPRO Commercial Director, Andrew Orsatti, said: "We are delighted to enter this long-term partnership with Sports Data Labs and embark on an important initiative that will change the landscape of data usage and distribution. Our platform will allow players to regain control of their personal data, while safeguarding and managing this information throughout their careers and creating new value across the entire ecosystem around professional football."

Sports Data Labs CEO, Mark Gorski, said: "We are proud to partner with FIFPRO and empower footballers globally with the technology-based tools to collect, control, and unlock new value with their data. By democratising player data in ways that build larger longitudinal data sets and puts the individual athlete at the epicentre of how their data gets used and shared, we will ultimately enable significantly more value to be created in the football ecosystem. This includes powering an entirely new understanding of the principal biological drivers of human performance in football at all levels, including youth and amateur, as well as new use cases that will support players in achieving their data-driven goals."

About FIFPRO Technologies

FIFPRO Technologies is a new initiative from FIFPRO, the global players' union, dedicated to driving innovation and technological solutions in global football. In a rapidly evolving, AI-driven era in which data capture is increasingly sophisticated and expanding, FIFPRO Technologies focuses on creating and integrating tools that empower players to unlock new value with their data and support the industry’s growth. By embracing advancements in technology, this new entity underscores FIFPRO’s commitment to shaping a more connected, sustainable, and forward-thinking future for professional football.

About Sports Data Labs

Sports Data Labs, Inc. (SDL) is a venture-backed, award-winning leader in collection, analysis and distribution of real-time human data from sensors and sensing systems, as well as other data sources. SDL provides patented and other proprietary technologies that empower individuals to collect, control, and distribute their personal data, while using artificial intelligence to transform collected data into metrics, insights and predictions for various real-time and on-demand use cases. SDL also provides data acquisition and monetisation solutions for buyers and sellers of personal data through its proprietary Human Data Marketplace. For more information, head HERE.