The business of the beautiful game

News analysisThe business of the beautiful gameSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxKansas City Stadium in the US is one of the venues for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which could engage six billion people globally. PHOTO: REUTERSTan Min LanPublished Jun 15, 2026, 05:00 AMUpdated Jun 15, 2026, 05:00 AM“Success in a fast-moving arena is often about being nimble and disciplined” – so said legendary French footballer Thierry Henry at the UBS Asian Investment Conference, held in Singapore and Hong Kong in May 2026.That exacting discipline Henry singles out is reshaping not only how sports is played, but also how it is valued.

What was once viewed as entertainment is increasingly being treated as an investable asset class. Investors are discovering that the forces transforming society – data, technology, media fragmentation and institutional capital – are the same ones reshaping sports itself.Historically run on instinct and tradition, many franchises across football, basketball, cricket and other major sports are now managed like institutional enterprises.

Technology and analytics sit at the heart of this transformation, influencing everything from athlete development and game tactics to commercial strategies and fan engagement.The numbers are striking. The World Economic Forum estimates that the US$2.

3 trillion (S$3 trillion) global sports economy today could surge to US$8.8 trillion by 2050. Investors following the money are increasingly navigating a sophisticated ecosystem of media rights, sponsorship, consumer spending and private capital.

Yet, what sets sports apart is how it remains one of the last few content formats that can reliably command vast captive audiences by offering a uniquely authentic experience – the thrill and unpredictability of a live result.Football proves the point. The FIFA World Cup 2026, taking place across North America from June 11 to July 19, could engage six billion people globally.

In a digital age with viewership fragmented across thousands of channels and platforms, few events can still command global attention on that scale.For investors, that coveted scarcity is becoming increasingly valuable. Football’s evolution offers a useful lens through which to understand how sports is maturing from cultural pastime into a professionalised sector with investment appeal.

Engineered precisionFirst, technology now underpins nearly every facet of modern football, recasting how teams prepare and perform. In training, data collection and wearables allow clubs to manage player fatigue and optimise recovery. Innovations such as Liverpool FC’s custom player app, which integrates wellness indicators with GPS movement data, have shifted periodic assessments to continuous data-driven management, tailored to each athlete.

The modern game is also rewarding repeatability over improvisation. Set pieces, once considered a novelty, have become commonplace. In the English Premier League, non-penalty set-piece goals accounted for roughly 28 per cent of goals last season, versus around 22 per cent a decade ago.

Opportunities once left to instinct are now engineered through preparation, repetition and analysis.On match days, video assistant referee (VAR) systems and semi-automated technologies make decision-making more transparent and measurable. These advances influence defensive strategies, set-piece execution and risk management around marginal decisions.

The result? A move away from subjective interpretation towards a more formalised approach to the game.Off pitch, technology is transforming fan engagement.

Digital platforms now allow clubs to maintain continuous fan relationships through personalised highlights, behind-the-scenes content and targeted commercials. Clubs like reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are investing in integrated fan databases to deepen loyalty and unlock revenue opportunities. Ecosystem economicsSecond, marquee events no longer solely drive sports’ commerciality.

Consumption is becoming more fragmented, shaped by time of day, device and platform, and not a single shared viewing moment.London-based market research company GWI notes that 72 per cent of Gen Z fans use social media to follow sports, with many hopping across five or more platforms daily. Economically, this expands the inventory around live events, boosts short-form content value, and gives rights-holders, sponsors and platforms more ways to monetise attention beyond live broadcasts.

Women’s sports also illustrate the expanding opportunity set. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup generated nearly US$570 million in revenue, with FIFA targeting US$1 billion by 2027. Importantly, the rise in women’s sports is attracting a younger, more diverse and affluent audience, enticing brands and sponsors.

Beyond the attention economy, the tournament buzz also fuels sportswear, wellness, tourism and hospitality spending. Travel booking platform Expedia noted 44 per cent of fans travelled internationally for their m