The theme for this year’s Convention — Shaping the Future of Sport in the Digital Age — puts technology, data, and artificial intelligence at the centre of global sport’s most pressing conversations.
SportAccord Convention 2026, taking place in Baku this May, will bring together the international sport community around a theme that reflects the defining challenge of the moment: how sport navigates and leads in an era of profound digital transformation.
The scale of change underway is difficult to overstate. The global AI in sport market valued at around $10 billion in 2025 is projected to grow at over 21% annually for the next decade, driven by investment in performance analytics, athlete health monitoring, fan engagement, and smart event operations.1 Sport is not just adopting these technologies: it is becoming a laboratory for some of the most advanced applications of AI anywhere in the economy.
~$10B
Global AI in sport market value in 2025 1
21%+
Projected annual market growth through 2033 1
85%
of fans globally find AI features valuable for sports engagement 2
69%
reduction in non-contact injuries achieved by clubs using AI prevention systems 3
From AI-driven performance tools and immersive fan experiences to smart city event delivery and the future of sport’s intellectual property, the programme has been designed to examine digital change at every level of the sporting ecosystem. The question is no longer whether technology will reshape sport, but how quickly and who will shape that change.
The evidence from the field is already compelling. In athlete health, AI-driven injury prevention systems are achieving results that were unthinkable even five years ago, with some professional clubs reporting injury reductions of over 50%.3 The shift from reactive treatment to proactive, data-informed prevention is one of the most significant changes in sports medicine in a generation. Research shows that AI-driven training plans are improving performance accuracy by up to 25%, while predictive models can now identify common injuries such as hamstring strains with 85% accuracy.4
In the commercial domain, the transformation is equally sweeping. A 2025 IBM study of more than 20,000 fans across 12 countries found that 85% see value in AI-enhanced sports experiences, with real-time updates and personalised content ranked as the top priorities.2 Broadcasters, federations, and rights holders are responding: direct-to-fan platforms, AI-generated highlight reels, and hyper-personalised content are fast becoming the baseline expectation rather than the innovation. The organisations that succeed will be those that treat fan data as a strategic asset and technology as the foundation of the fan relationship not an add-on to it.5
The four-day programme in Baku is structured to address these shifts with clarity and ambition. Four dedicated streams: Health, Cities & Hosts, Media, and Law will each explore the digital agenda through their own lens, examining both the opportunities and the governance challenges that come with rapid technological change. A particular focus will be placed on what meaningful, lasting digital transformation requires of sport organisations, cities, and commercial partners, beyond the hype, and grounded in real experience.
The Convention will close with a forward-looking session asking a deceptively simple question: what does a truly digital-ready sport organisation look like in 2036? With private investment, platform giants, and a new generation of digitally native fans reshaping the landscape simultaneously, it is a question that will frame strategic decisions long after delegates leave Baku.
Further details on the full programme, including sessions, speakers, and registration will be announced in the coming weeks.
Sources:
1 Grand View Research, AI in Sports Market Size and Share — Industry Report 2033, 2025. Market estimated at USD 10.61 billion in 2025, projected to reach USD 49.92 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 21.6%. grandviewresearch.com
2 IBM, IBM Sport Survey Report 2025, August 2025. Study of 20,864 sports fans in 12 countries. 85% of respondents see value in AI-integrated sports experiences; real-time updates (35%) and personalised content (30%) ranked as top priorities. newsroom.ibm.com
3 Soberman, A., Smarter, Faster, Safer: How AI is Reinventing Athlete Performance and Injury Prevention in 2025, September 2025. References Zone7 AI system results across 50+ professional clubs; LAFC reported a 53% overall and 69% non-contact injury reduction. medium.com
4 Drust, B. et al., Artificial Intelligence in Sports Biomechanics: A Scoping Review on Wearable Technology, Motion Analysis, and Injury Prevention, MDPI Bioengineering, August 2025. 73 peer-reviewed studies reviewed; random forest models predicted hamstring injuries with 85% accuracy; AI-driven training plans showed 25% accuracy improvements. mdpi.com
5 PwC, Digital Fan Engagement in Sports: Ecosystems and Personalization, 2025. Companies focused on fan experience expanded revenue 1.7× faster than peers; fan data and personalisation increasingly central to commercial strategy. pwc.com
