Football DataCo (FDC), which manages data rights for professional football leagues in England and Scotland, has extended its partnership with Stats Perform.
Under the agreement, Opta, Stats Perform’s sports data brand, is now the official insights provider for FDC competitions, including the Premier League, Sky Bet Championship, League One, League Two, the Scottish Professional Football League and the Scottish Women’s Premier League.
Adrian Ford, General Manager of Football DataCo, commented: “Stats Perform and its Opta team have been deeply embedded in providing Official Data for UK football for fifteen years and together we keep raising the bar to provide insights for football fans.
“We’ve already got innovative plans underway to further drive the appeal of UK football. We’re looking forward to seeing the impact these plans will bring to our broadcaster and media partners, and the way they will engage fans of our leagues, teams and players, all over the world.”
The deal sees Stats Perform’s Opta remain the exclusive provider of detailed official statistical data for FDC competitions, delivering this data to leagues, clubs, stadiums, sponsors, match centres, scoreboards, digital platforms, apps and publications worldwide. This ensures fans have access to high-quality, data-driven experiences for the leagues.
Additionally, Opta will enhance broadcasters’ coverage of FDC competitions by supporting on-screen graphics, studio analysis and commentary teams, aiming to boost audience numbers, engagement and sponsorship opportunities.
Alex Rice, Chief Commercial Officer of Stats Perform, commented: “Opta puts an enormous effort into collecting the highest quality sports data and our proprietary AI technologies to create the most interesting insights, supplying products that are easy for our clients to adopt and delight their fans.”
Starting from the 2025/26 season, Opta and its OptaAI tools will produce advanced AI-powered, data-driven insights for FDC competitions, designed for seamless integration into regular coverage.
The company has stated that its goal is to help broadcasters and media enhance fan understanding of every chance and player on the field, improving the action and creating more engaging storytelling.
“As such we are proud to have been chosen by FDC to extend our exclusive long-term partnership with them, and the leagues and clubs they represent. Being fans ourselves, it’s always a thrill to see the intrinsic role of our Opta data and AI in elevating the stories of the teams and players so beloved all over the world,” Rice added.
“That our next chapter with UK football also includes supplying official insights means even more memorable broadcast and media coverage about superstar players and unsung heroes, and even more entertaining experiences for fans and sponsors. We’re excited to see the ideas come to life.”
Stats Perform also collaborates with various other football leagues, including Australia and New Zealand’s A-League, and the recently partnered Saudi Pro League.
