October 20: Real Madrid have signed AI cloud computing company Iren as a global sponsor and official AI cloud partner. It is Iren’s first sponsorship in football.
The partnership will focus on community engagement, technical innovation and digital transformation.
The agreement follows Iren’s recent expansion in Spain. The Australian company bought data center developer Nostrum Group, adding about 490 megawatts of secured power.
Iren has quickly moved on to major team sports. In June, it became the primary jersey patch sponsor of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors for the 2026-27 season, replacing Rakuten. The deal, worth about $50 million a year, is said to be the most lucrative sponsorship in the history of American team sports. Includes the Warriors’ 18,064-capacity Chase Center branding, warm-up jerseys for the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries and the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors jersey patch.
Real Madrid continues to add members at pace. Earlier this month it signed Uber Eats as its official delivery partner in Spain with a three-season deal, and at the end of September it renewed with Sportfive as an authorized VIP ticket partner at the Bernabéu.
AI and cloud computing companies have become a growing sponsorship category across the sport as they compete for brand recognition beyond the tech industry. Its arrival offers clubs a new source of income at a time when traditional categories, such as betting in some markets, face tighter restrictions.
