QUT’s Future of Sport Conference to Shape the Next Era of Global Sport

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Image Credit: Queensland University of Technology

As Australia accelerates toward the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is set to host a landmark event that will bring together some of the brightest minds in sport, technology, and innovation.

The Future of Sport Conference 2026, taking place on March 27 at QUT’s Gardens Point campus in Brisbane, will unite international and Australian leaders to explore how research, technology, and cross-sector collaboration are redefining the global sporting landscape.

Held as a one-day flagship event, the conference represents a critical platform for dialogue across sport, government, academia, and industry. The aim is to collaborate for a shared vision of sport’s future in a rapidly evolving world.

Driving innovation ahead of Brisbane 2032

Positioned within the broader momentum of Brisbane’s Olympic decade, the conference will examine how emerging technologies and data-driven strategies are reshaping performance, fan engagement, and sporting infrastructure.

Delivered in collaboration with global partners including the MIT Sloan School of Management and supported by major industry stakeholders such as Cisco and PMY Group, the event highlights the increasing convergence between sport and advanced technology.

Key themes include:

  • Emerging sports technologies and performance analytics
  • Mental health and wellbeing in high-performance environments
  • The business of sport and sustainable futures
  • Inclusion and social impact through sport

These focus areas reflect a broader shift within the industry towards positioning sport as a driver of social change, economic growth, and community wellbeing, not just measuring its performance.

A global lineup of industry leaders

The conference will feature an impressive roster of speakers drawn from elite sport organisations, academia, and global technology firms.

International expertise will be complemented by leading Australian voices, including executives, high-performance specialists, and researchers shaping the future of sport both domestically and abroad.

Among them are figures working across professional sport, data science, and innovation, offering attendees rare insight into the trends and strategies defining the next decade.

Collaboration at the core

Beyond keynote presentations, the conference is designed to foster meaningful collaboration. An industry roundtable and networking opportunities will allow stakeholders to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and explore practical solutions to shared challenges.

From grassroots development to elite performance systems, the emphasis on collaboration reflects a growing recognition that the future of sport will be shaped not by isolated innovation, but by connected ecosystems.

Shaping sport’s future

As sport continues to intersect with technology, health, and society, events such as the Future of Sport Conference play a vital role in aligning vision with action.

By bringing together diverse perspectives, from athletes and academics to policymakers and industry leaders, QUT is positioning itself at the forefront of global sport innovation.

With Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, the conference offers a timely and influential platform to not only discuss the future of sport but actively shape it.

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Google expands football footprint with AI partnerships at five European giants

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Image Credit: Paris Sain- Germain

Google has announced long-term partnerships with five of Europe’s biggest football clubs.

Expanding the role of artificial intelligence in fan engagement through collaborations with Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and PSG.

Google Gemini will become each club’s official consumer AI Partner, while Google Pixel will serve as the official smartphone partner.

The partnerships are designed to deliver AI-powered match insights, personalised fan experiences and exclusive behind-the-scenes content across the clubs’ digital platforms.

Supporters will be able to use Gemini to access tactical insights, historical statistics and match analysis while Pixel devices will be used by club media teams to capture content through the company’s “Shot on Pixel” initiative.

A key component of the partnership is the commitment to increasing the visibility of women’s football.

Google confirmed the agreements cover both men’s and women’s teams, with AI tools and Pixel technology set to help produce content and expand the reach of the women’s game through club media channels.

The announcement continues Google’s growing investment in football technology.

Google initially had individual agreements with several of the clubs, including PSG and Liverpool.

By bringing the partnerships together under the Gemini and Pixel brands, Google is positioning artificial intelligence as a core part of the modern football fan experience rather than simply a commercial sponsorship.

For football clubs, the collaboration highlights a broader industry trend towards technology partnerships that extend beyond branding.

AI is increasingly being used to produce personalised content, deliver deeper match analysis and strengthen engagement with large global audiences.

Clubs continue to invest in these growing digital platforms alongside their traditional commercial portfolios.

The partnerships also reinforce the growing intersection between football and technology, with leading clubs increasingly working alongside global technology companies to enhance supporter experiences and explore new ways of connecting with fans on matchday and beyond.

 

Football Has the Audience. Does It Have the Commercial Strategy?

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Image Credit: One Nil Media

Soccerscene has launched Survey 4: Commercial Confidence in Football, calling on clubs, sponsors, governing bodies, commercial leaders and football industry professionals to assess whether the game is making the most of its enormous commercial potential.

Football has the audience, participation base and community reach to be one of Australia’s most powerful commercial platforms. But does the industry have the commercial strategy, professionalism and infrastructure required to turn that potential into sustainable growth?

That is the question at the centre of Soccerscene’s latest industry research.

The survey examines how attractive grassroots football is to potential commercial partners, what industry professionals believe is limiting football’s commercial potential, and whether clubs are presenting themselves professionally enough to sponsors.

It also explores what sponsors value most when engaging with football – from community reach and participation scale to brand alignment, values and purpose – as well as whether improved facilities could directly contribute to stronger sponsorship outcomes.

Is football fully capitalising on its commercial opportunity?

Football continues to provide brands with access to highly engaged communities across grassroots, community and elite environments. Yet the commercial landscape remains fragmented, with clubs operating with vastly different levels of resources, capability, governance, media infrastructure and commercial expertise.

Soccerscene’s survey is designed to capture the industry’s perspective on where the opportunities exist – and where football may be leaving commercial value on the table.

The research will look specifically at four key areas:

  • Commercial attractiveness – How attractive is grassroots football as a commercial partnership?
  • Commercial barriers – What is holding football back from reaching its full commercial potential?
  • Club professionalism – Are clubs presenting themselves effectively and professionally to sponsors?
  • Sponsor value – What are sponsors really looking for when they invest in football?

The survey also asks whether better facilities would have a direct impact on sponsorship outcomes, highlighting the potential relationship between infrastructure, commercial presentation and investment.

Have your say

Soccerscene is encouraging football clubs, sponsors, commercial professionals, governing bodies, administrators, media professionals and industry stakeholders to participate.

The findings will contribute to Soccerscene’s ongoing program of industry research, designed to provide a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing football and the organisations operating within it.

Take the Survey: Commercial Confidence in Football

Complete the Commercial Confidence in Football Survey here

The survey will close on 30 August 2026 at midnight, with responses received before the deadline included in the final analysis.

Football has the audience. The question is whether it has the commercial strategy to match.

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