Tag: #football

Irish tech company Miagen to help elite football clubs avoid financial ruin

Miagen, the leader in financial modelling technology solutions, today announces the launch of a solution that will help Europe’s football clubs to comply with financial sustainability rules. With football clubs across Europe facing mounting financial scrutiny and risking crippling sanctions, the solution, SportsGen will help clubs to navigate their finances, protect their long-term survival and save up to €3M on wages per season.

Financial sustainability rules have shaken up the world of football recently, after a number of clubs were docked points and even rendered bankrupt for falling foul of them. The rules, which mostly apply to European and English football leagues, were introduced to ensure football clubs operate within their financial means, promoting long-term financial stability and preventing reckless spending.

SportsGen is a financial planning & analysis (FP&A) platform built for mid-tier and elite football clubs. Miagen estimates that that insights enabled by its software can help clubs to increase match-day revenues by up to 10%. The platform enables clubs to see missed revenue opportunities – including those relating to attendance, pricing and scheduling – so they can implement new strategies to optimise ticket sales.

SportsGen’s real-time financial insights are enabled by integrating live data from ticketing, sponsorships, broadcasting and merchandising. It allows clubs to model different league finishing positions, assess financial implications, and stay within spending limits to avoid harsh penalties like point deductions and relegation. With smart forecasting for wages, transfers and operational costs, SportsGen helps clubs to make informed decisions during transfer windows and remain competitive while staying compliant with financial regulations. Additionally, Miagen is already planning updates that will integrate AI-driven player valuation and scouting insights.

The new solution comes on the back of Miagen’s dominance in financial modelling for the world’s aircraft leasing market. The Dublin-based company’s financial modelling platform, LeaseGen, is now used for one in five of the global leased aircraft fleet.

Brian Byrne, COO, Miagen, said: “Football is no longer just about success on the pitch; it’s about sustainability off it. Clubs are making high-risk financial decisions on transfer spending, wage structures and operational costs, but often without the right tools. The stakes have never been higher, as financial miscalculations can mean relegation, massive revenue losses and even club extinction.

“Football clubs are more than just businesses; many have been at the heart of communities for more than a century. They bring people together and are playing a major role in funding and supporting women’s sport. Through better financial planning with SportsGen, they can make even greater progress on this work and ultimately, ensure they thrive in today’s uncompromising football economy.”

About Miagen

Miagen is a consultancy firm specialising in agile business planning solutions that empower finance to lead using real-time business and industry insights. It has developed industry-specific solutions that enhance business performance and unlock competitive edge.

For more information, visit www.miagen.com

EA SPORTS FC Celebrates Return of Maradona

Off the back of teasing the return of one of football’s best, players from tomorrow will see the return of Diego Maradona in EA SPORTS FC 25 and Football Ultimate Team as an ICON and Grassroot Great. A player who played with the heart of the people, who was able to take their natural born talent to the biggest stages in the world. For EA SPORTS FC Mobile players, Maradona will be available in-game as of 20 February.

From the iconic La Bombonera to Napoli’s now named Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, and beyond, Maradona made headlines across The World’s Game with stunning goals, countless trophies and unmatched raw talent. Grassroots Greats are celebrated for their rise from hometown clubs to playing on the biggest stages in the world and no one in history has done that better than Diego Maradona.

To add this footballing great to your dream squad, login to Football Ultimate Team™ between 14 February and 14 March.

Also available to all players that login to Football Ultimate Team™ by 14 March is Diego’s Dream Evolution, inspired by Maradona’s rise from Argentinos Juniors at the age of 14 to a global superstar and serial winner with Napoli.* Diego’s Dream Evolution allows players to upgrade Maradona through three separate Evolution paths. Beginning at a humble 77 OVR, marking 16-year-old Diego’s groundbreaking international debut against Hungary in 1977, upgrade Maradona to a mighty 89 OVR as you follow his career all the way to the 1989 UEFA Cup final when the Argentinian captained Napoli to glory over two tough legs against Stuttgart.

For EA SPORTS FC Mobile, Maradona will be available in-game between 20 February and 27 March. To earn Maradona’s item, players will be able to enter Challenge Mode and play through five PvE matches that are inspired by important moments and matches from his career.

*Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/games/ea-sports-fc/fc-25/disclaimers for details.

EA SPORTS FC 25 TOTAL RUSH has arrived

Experience the fast-paced thrill of 5-a-side with TOTAL RUSH. Compete in brand new Football Ultimate Team™ Rush events, assembling different themed quartets throughout the week and earning rewards to take your club to the next level. Pick your player, team up with up to 3 friends, and play your role to prove who is the ultimate 5-a-side team in The World’s Game.

PICK YOUR PLAYER

Enjoy a new team of TOTAL RUSH players each week of the campaign, inspired by the dream 5-a-side squads of some of the top footballers in world football. Throughout the Total Rush campaign choose your new Rush player to take into fresh Rush Events with different requirements, where you and your friends can test yourselves with new 5-a-side squads.

PLAY YOUR ROLE

Every Rush side needs balance. Because in Rush, a simple pass or key tackle can be as valuable as a goal. TOTAL RUSH celebrates all the different roles a 5-a-side squad needs, from the agile Inside Forward to the tireless Falseback that links things together from defence.

As you pick your player for each match, remember the role that you’ll play in your team, finding the right balance between attack and defense that’ll lead to more wins, Rush points, and Football Ultimate Team Rewards for the whole squad.

FLASH RUSH EVENTS, OBJECTIVES, AND REWARDS

Enjoy a series of Flash Rush Events, each with unique squad requirements and an associated Objective to earn Player Picks and SP. Plus, compete for a specific Total Rush Objectives player each week by completing specific challenges in the various Flash Rush Events.

Look forward to a new Flash Rush Event every three days throughout the two-week campaign, starting on Saturday, October 12th, and win as a team to earn rewards for your club.

CELEBRATE ALEX MORGAN’S STORIED CAREER WITH AN EOAE SBC

Add an all-time great to your Football Ultimate Team squad with Alex Morgan’s End of an Era SBC. The US international announced her retirement from football after more than 200 international caps and a glittering career with clubs in the US, France, and England. Morgan will go down as one of the best in her generation, a two-time world champion with more than 100 international goals to her name and a trophy cabinet full of individual and club honours.

CONTINUE THE WORLD TOUR

Look out for new World Tour: Spain players releasing each week via Objectives during Total Rush.

THE INSIDE FORWARD

Every Rush side needs pace, directness, goals. That’s your Inside Forward. You don’t even have to look up to know that they’re flying forward, stretching the lines and sparking the counter at every opportunity. Starting wide but moving central to finish chances, they dominate the wing and live life at a sprint. Think Lauren James, a wide dynamo who tears down the flank to write her name on the scoresheet. Total Rush Lauren James will be added to the Football Ultimate Team pool of items as part of Team 1.

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Soccer Manager 2025 – Out Now!

Football fans around the world are celebrating as Soccer Manager 2025, the latest iteration of the popular mobile football simulation series, has officially been released. Soccer Manager 2025 marks the tenth year of the critically acclaimed series from Invincibles Studio, played by over 75 million users, and promises to bring a whole new level of matchday action to screens worldwide.
The Soccer Manager series allows players to take charge of their favourite elite football clubs and manage them from match to match, season to season. The game features everything from 3D simulated matches to transfers and an in-depth tactics system. Users can also build up their facilities off the pitch and manage every aspect of their football club in this realistic & immersive management experience.
Soccer Manager 2025 is the best looking & feeling game in the series yet. With extensive focus on the new 3D Match Motion engine, an all-new, sleek user interface, and a huge number of performance optimisations, SM25 continues on its journey to becoming the best mobile football management experience on the market. Development has been shaped by the game’s dedicated community, with feedback taken by the developers at every stage to deliver on the priorities of the players.
Key to the game’s strength, Soccer Manager 2025’s match engine is powered by Invincibles Studio’s brand new Match Motion technology. The Match Motion system brings a new level of visual detail to the matchday experience, combining upgraded player models, over 300 new animations, and countless other improvements to bring your tactics to life at your fingertips like never before. This system is a top-tier match engine and will power Invincibles Studio’s titles for years to come.
Soccer Manager 2025’s realism & authenticity is also reinforced by the officially licensed content in-game. Licenses from Manchester City and the German Bundesliga bring official badges and kits into the game. There are also over 25,000 FIFPRO-licensed players in the game from across the world, bringing the leagues to life.

Soccer Manager 2025 is now available worldwide on Android and iOS. For a limited time, new users can receive in-game bonuses & exclusive cosmetics just through downloading the game. With its new features, sleek appearance, and commitment to delivering the best possible football management experience, Soccer Manager 2025 is set to raise the bar for the series and can be downloaded via this link.

Will Irish sports tech give Georgia Tech the edge this weekend?

As tens of thousands of Americans fly into Dublin this week for the Georgia Tech V Florida State Aer Lingus College Football Classic, the game presents a dynamic opportunity to promote the strength of the Irish-US business relationship and particularly the success of Irish sports tech companies in the USA.

This week, Enterprise Ireland will host an inward US buyer delegation with representatives from Atlanta Hawks, Pittsburgh Steelers and other US sports tech investors. The delegation will meet with Irish sports tech companies and will focus on the IRFU and Enterprise Ireland’s technology innovation programme, which provides Irish sports tech companies an opportunity to test, trial, and potentially scale their products in a professional rugby environment. Visiting the Sport Ireland Campus, the delegation will also meet with Sport Ireland, who lead the development of sport in Ireland, and who are collaborating with Enterprise Ireland to drive the development of Irish sports technology.

From NFL Teams to NBA Players, Irish sports tech has gained a dominant “behind the scenes” position with elite sports in the USA and globally. Their innovative solutions have been sought out by major global sporting powerhouses from the NFL and NBA to PGA golfers, Olympians, F1 Drivers and English Premier League soccer teams.

Irish sports tech companies Orreco and Output Sports are also working with Georgia Tech University.

  • Output Sports, a leader in elite sports-science technology works with Georgia Tech athletes to optimise their athletes’ training sessions and to achieve specific fitness goals. Output Sports enables coaches, sports scientists, and rehab professionals to fully understand and optimise their athletes’ performance using a single wearable sensor system. The company’s technology is used by sports practitioners across 30+ countries, including in the USA and in multiple sports, with flagship clients in the NFL, NWSL, MLB, NHL, WNBA and NBA.
  • Sports data company Orreco have been working with Georgia Tech Women’s Swim team since 2022, using Orecco’s FitrWoman app and FitrCoach platform. The app and coach platform, part of Orreco’s Te@m platform are also used by USA Swimming, USA Volleyball and global soccer teams including The Lionesses, NSWL teams, Women’s Super League teams and multiple Olympic Medal winners. Orreco’s AI platform helps athletes optimise performance, accelerate recovery and extend playing careers.

Today, Irish sports streaming company, Wiistream announced a collaborative alliance with US Youth Soccer (USYS), the largest youth sports organisation in the United States. The collaboration will see Wiistream explore streaming and content solutions for USYS, to enhance the sports experience for young athletes across the USA. Wiistream are previous participants of the US Techstars accelerator programme and have the backing of Enterprise Ireland and US Venture Capital firm Elevate Ventures. Having started life streaming GAA matches for fans during Covid-19, the company, with its US headquarters in Indianapolis, has since secured significant international breakthrough deals, including contracts with The Big3 and the World Baseball Softball Confederation.

Welcoming Enterprise Ireland’s US sports delegation to Ireland, Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne TD said: “The Aer Lingus College Football Classic provides a valuable opportunity to not only enjoy a great game of American college football play out on Irish soil but also, to deepen the Irish-US business relationship. It is clear that the future of Irish sport is one where digital technology will be embedded across all sports organisations and that is why our National Sports Policy recognises the importance of encouraging innovation in sport. We want to see Ireland’s strong sport tech industry continue to grow and I welcome the work being undertaken by Enterprise Ireland to enhance the Irish-US business relationship in this respect.”

Leo Clancy, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said: “We are proud to partner with the Aer Lingus College Football Game. It’s more than a game – it presents an important opportunity to promote the strength of the Irish-US business relationship and showcase Ireland’s dynamic business environment and innovators to the US visitors. The USA is the second largest export country for Enterprise Ireland clients, achieving exports of €5.9bn in 2023, up 5% on 2022. Across our 6 offices in the USA, we are focused on supporting Irish companies to achieve even greater scale in this market. On the sports tech front, this sector is achieving phenomenal global success, with major national and international sports leagues, athletes and brands turning to Ireland to drive performance.”

It was also announced today that the IRFU and Enterprise Ireland’s Technology Innovation Programme is set to continue for another season 2024/ 2025. The partnership will be showcased to the visiting US sports delegation, as part of events organised around the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in the Aviva. Through the programme, the IRFU has embraced Enterprise Ireland client technology to advance the game and the partnership has provided an invaluable opportunity for Irish sports tech companies, to test, validate and scale their innovations, working with teams across the organisation, including the national squad. To date five Enterprise Ireland sports tech companies have participated in the programme, including Output Sports, MoveAhead, RugbySmarts, Brace and Wiistream, resulting in commercial deals for three Enterprise Ireland clients, soon to be announced.

EA SPORTS FC ANNOUNCE NEW SPONSORSHIP OF UEFA’S WOMEN IN FOOTBALL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

Today, in celebration of Women’s History Month, EA SPORTS FC announced a new sponsorship deal with long-standing partners UEFA, to become title partners of their Women In Football Leadership Programme (WFLP).

Now in its tenth year, the WFLP is an annual week-long programme, supported by the IMD Business School, aimed at advancing the careers of women capable of influencing the football industry, both today and in the future. The programme has been running since 2014, benefitting over 240 women so far.

This year’s programme, in partnership with EA SPORTS FC, will take place in August at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, supporting over 30 women from across the football industry, with candidates selected based on their future potential in the world of football. Involving key-note speeches from existing leaders in the industry, a variety of group training sessions, as well as one-on-one-coaching, the WFLP is designed to improve leadership skills, encourage networking and build self-confidence in order for the participants to achieve their full potential.

Andrea Hopelain, GM & SVP of Publishing at EA SPORTS says: “Women’s History Month is all about celebrating the achievements of women and what better way for us to do this than partner with UEFA to support this fantastic programme. In line with this year’s Women’s History Month theme of inspiring inclusion, we’re really proud to be paving the path for women within our organization and the wider industry to become leaders in the world of football.”

Thomas Junod, Head of the UEFA Academy adds: “We are thrilled to welcome EA SPORTS FC as the new presenting partner for our well-established UEFA Women in Football Leadership Programme. This unparalleled initiative champions the advancement of women poised to shape the future of football, offering a dynamic platform for exchange, networking, and empowerment. The inclusion of participants from EA SPORTS will inject fresh, innovative ideas and perspectives into our conversations.”

This programme sponsorship builds on multiple commitments from EA SPORTS FC to champion women in football, following on from the EA SPORTS Women’s Football Summit in 2022, at which a number of initiatives were announced, as well as this year’s addition of women into Ultimate Team™ in EA SPORTS FC 24.

Further details on this year’s programme will be announced via our EA SPORTS LinkedIn channel and on the UEFA Academy website.

THE GIRLS IN GREEN LEGACY: Seeing Televised Professional Sport provides A Real Incentive To Take It Up, But Access To Local Clubs Is Vital

More than 2.4m people watched RTÉ television’s coverage of the Women’s Football World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last summer.  In that tournament, the Republic of Ireland’s game against Canada was the most watched women’s team sport event in Irish TV history with an average of 551,000 viewers.

New research from Royal London, the founding partner of the first British and Irish Lions Women’s Rugby Tour, shows the wider significance of viewing figures like these. Almost one in four (24%) of parents surveyed across Ireland say the more sport is shown on TV, the more likely their children are to take it up. Furthermore, 15% of parents in Ireland say their child took up a team sport after seeing it live professionally, and 15% say their child got into team sports as they were inspired watching a sporting role model on TV. However, the ability to play alongside their friends is also a big draw for children when it comes to sport, with more than one in three (35%) of the parents in Ireland surveyed citing the opportunity to play alongside their friends as the reason their children became interested in sport.

Over a fifth (23%) of parents in Ireland say their children have been involved in team sports due to having access to a local club. When looking at how realistic this is for children across Ireland, more than seven in ten (72%) of adults have a sports club within half an hour of their home. However, one in five (22%) have to travel longer than 30 minutes, while 6% don’t know where their local sports club is. Interestingly, while the numbers were low overall, of the women surveyed, they were seven times as likely as men not to know the location of their local sports club (7pc of women versus 1pc of men).

When reflecting on their own decision to take up team sports, 44% of adults in Ireland did so to play with friends and three in ten (30%) said it was a fun way to keep fit that wasn’t solo. A quarter (25%) were encouraged to play by a teacher or coach.

Shaunagh Brown, professional rugby player for England and Harlequins, says: “This Women’s Lions tour, the first of its kind, will allow more people to witness women playing rugby at a high level. I was interested, but not surprised, that the research showed more adults would consider taking up a team sport if they saw people who looked and sounded like them playing it. To believe you can do it, you have to see someone like you living, breathing and enjoying it. And, even if you don’t end up following a professional path with sport, the benefits you will feel from playing as part of a team in terms of greater confidence, resilience and improved social skills will be with you for the rest of your life.”

Susie Logan, chief marketing officer at Royal London says: “At present, through either a lack of airtime or wider exposure, some women’s sports have not yet been visible enough to inspire future generations.

The blend of seeing it played well on TV and taking it up with friends is key. Team sports create a community and can become an important part of a child’s development. We need to keep striving towards equality at all levels, whether that be what’s televised or at grassroots. Both are essential to create foundations for the future and give every child the inspiration and access they need to thrive playing team sport. This is why we’re proud to partner with the first British and Irish Lions Women’s Rugby Tour.

Royal London has been announced as Founding Partner of the first ever Lions Women’s team. The partnership will see Royal London invest in player development in each of The British & Irish Lions constituent Unions through the delivery of a special elite players’ Pathways Funding grant. The grants will support the elite women’s player and coach pathways in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and England, to help Unions develop more players and coaches capable of being selected for the inaugural Lions Women’s Tour. In addition, Royal London will also be investing in women’s and girls’ grassroots rugby across the UK and Ireland in the run-up to the Tour.”

Soccer Manager 2024 now available free on Android and iOS

The latest release in the world-renowned Soccer Manager game series, Soccer Manager 2024, is now available to download and play free for Android and iOS devices.

With over 60 million players since the company was established in 2004, Invincibles Studios’ Soccer Manager series has become a critically-acclaimed benchmark in the football management game genre. Soccer Manager 2024 establishes a new level of accuracy, immersion, and excitement for the series with the addition of groundbreaking new features and enhancement of existing core elements.

Soccer Manager 2024 players can take control at one of over 900 clubs in 54 leagues across 36 countries around the world. FIFPRO-licenced football players with accurate attributes can be bought, sold, and managed on a path to success. Along with transfers, players can choose training, tactics & formations for their team, as well as developing club facilities as they progress.

New this year, international teams can also be managed in major qualifiers and tournaments against the best international teams across the continent and indeed the world. Stunning match and environment visuals are available to enjoy, with player likenesses and animations never having looked so good!

If Soccer Manager fans want to truly prove their management credentials, then they can forge their own legend by creating a completely new club and starting at the bottom. By proving their management genius, players can succeed in ascending to the very top leagues and competitions with superstars they have bought, or wonderkids they have talent-spotted and grown into world-leading professionals.

“Soccer Manager 2024 is the ultimate mobile football management game, with unrivalled accuracy, immersion, and enjoyment,” said Invincibles Studio CEO, Chris Gore. “This new release in the Soccer Manager series offers a myriad of new gameplay features for our community, and welcomes every new player due to its accessible, easy-to-understand tutorials. This is the best Soccer Manager game ever released on mobile.”

Following the recent announcement of a multi-year licencing agreement with Manchester City, Soccer Manager 2024 features existing multi-year worldwide agreements with partners including but not limited to, the Deutsche Fußball Liga, our continued ambassador partnership with manager Mikel Arteta, and our wide-ranging FIFPRO player licence.

The SSE Airtricity League joins the world’s best in EA SPORTS FC With Club Packs to feature for the first time in FC 24

EA SPORTS FC™ today announced that the ever popular SSE Airtricity League Club Packs will feature in the highly anticipated FC 24. The individual club covers of all 10 Premier Division teams will be available to download free from https://www.ea.com/FC24 when the game launches worldwide on Friday, September 29th.

This will be the 16th season that the SSE Airtricity League will be available in game, and the first year the league will feature under the rebrand of EA SPORTS FC.

Join the Club and support your local team as fans connect to their local club by simply downloading and printing their customized sleeve, to replace the existing cover in their FC 24 box. Fans can also play with their local club heroes in game under the SSE Airtricity League competition. The 10 Premier Division teams to be featured in FC 24 are Bohemian FC, Cork City FC, Derry City FC, Drogheda United FC, Dundalk FC, Shamrock Rovers FC, Shelbourne FC, Sligo Rovers FC, St Patrick’s Athletic FC and UCD AFC.

With authenticity and innovation at its core, EA SPORTS FC™24 showcases the best players from the biggest clubs, leagues, and competitions around the globe – in both the men’s and women’s game. Home to over 19,000 fully licensed players, 700 teams, 100 stadiums and 30 leagues across world football, the SSE Airtricity League joins the world’s best competitions in EA SPORTS FC including LALIGA, Bundesliga, Serie A and CONMEBOL Libertadores. EA SPORTS also announced an exclusive renewal with UEFA, meaning EA SPORTS FC™ 24 is the only place you can play the iconic UEFA Champions League, UEFA Women’s Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League and UEFA Super Cup.

Experience the World’s Game as EA SPORTS FC 24 launches worldwide from Friday September 29th, 2023 and will be available to play on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. For more details on FC 24, visit www.ea.com/FC24

About FC 24:
EA SPORTS FC™ 24 Takes In-Game Realism to the Next Level
EA SPORTS has changed the way people play and enjoy football, and new, cutting-edge technologies will see EA SPORTS FC™ 24 deliver unparalleled realism in every match. EA SPORTS FC™ 24 will include:

  • HyperMotionV* is our biggest leap forward in realism to-date, translating the rhythm and fluidity of real-world football into The World’s Game using volumetric data from more than 180 professional men’s and women’s football matches that allows us to reflect real-world movement in-game more than ever before.
  • PlayStyles optimised by Opta dimensionalises athletes, going beyond overall ratings to bring to life the on-pitch abilities that make players special. Each PlayStyle gives players unique capabilities you’ll see and feel that make their way of playing more authentic.
  • An enhanced Frostbite™ Engine delivers The World’s Game in lifelike detail, bringing a new level of immersion through redesigned player models, smoother animations and visibly unique characteristics that make each player special. Kits now move like real-world materials, reacting to a player’s stride, shifting as they change direction, and flowing along with them as they play.