Atos, a prominent player in artificial intelligence and digital transformation, has been integral to the scheduling of Premier League fixtures since the league's inception in 1992.
Over the course of 34 seasons, Atos has navigated the intricate task of organizing a balanced fixture list for 13,166 matches involving 51 clubs. By blending advanced technology with expert analysis, Atos evaluates millions of potential scenarios to ensure that the final schedule remains fair, competitive, and engaging for clubs, fans, and stakeholders.
AI Powered Digital Transformation
The fixture compilation process starts early in the year and extends over approximately six months.
Using sophisticated systems, an initial schedule is generated and subsequently refined by experts to meet the Premier League's "Golden Rules," which address critical sporting, operational, and logistical requirements. These rules stipulate a balanced distribution of home and away games over a series of matches and ensure no team faces more than two consecutive home or away games, among other conditions.
Managing Travel Demands
Additional considerations include preventing local rivals from playing at home simultaneously
Additional considerations include preventing local rivals from playing at home simultaneously, accommodating police presence, and minimizing travel for fans during peak periods such as public holidays. Even small tweaks in the schedule can have far-reaching effects, necessitating adjustments across several fixtures. This complexity underscores the value of Atos' extensive experience.
Fixture-list compiler Glenn Thompson from Atos UK&I commented, "There are pinch points in the process where it can become stressful, culminating in several days in a room manually checking for any issues that may have cropped up. The whole process is complex involving many different data points. Ultimately you can't satisfy everyone and it's a compromise across all clubs without favoring any one club."
Global Football Calendar
This year's scheduling also considers the global football calendar, emphasizing player welfare and recovery, while aligning with international competitions. Michael Herron, Head of Atos UK&I, remarked, "For millions of fans, the release of the Premier League fixture list is when a new season really comes to life. We're proud to support the Premier League and are looking forward to another exciting season ahead."
Atos boasts a specialized Sports and Major Events division with over 30 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for prestigious competitions worldwide. Their technological prowess caters to various events, from local tournaments to international showcases. This commitment is highlighted by Atos' role as UEFA’s Official IT Partner for National Team Football since late 2022 and its recent partnership with CONMEBOL as the Official Innovation Partner, focusing on South American club competitions.
Atos, a global pioneer in AI powered digital transformation, has worked in close collaboration with the Premier League since its inception in 1992, scheduling the Premier League’s fixtures each season.
Across 34 Premier League seasons, Atos has supported the complex challenge of creating a balanced fixture list across a total of 13,166 matches involving 51 different clubs. Advanced technology is combined with deep human expertise to assess millions of possible scenarios, ensuring the final schedule is fair, competitive and compelling for clubs, fans and stakeholders alike.
AI powered digital transformation
The process begins at the start of the year and typically takes around six months. Sophisticated systems generate an initial schedule, which is then rigorously refined through expert oversight to meet the league’s strict sporting, operational and logistical requirements - following the League’s “Golden Rules”. These include:
- In any five matches there should be a split of three home fixtures, two away or the other way around.
- A team will never have more than two home or away matches in a row.
- Wherever possible, a team will be home and away around FA Cup ties.
- A club will never start or finish the season with two home or two away matches.
Managing travel demands
Alongside this are considerations around preventing local rivals from playing at home on the same day, accounting for policing capacity, and managing travel demands, particularly during peak periods such as public holidays or major national events, for example minimizing travel for fans on Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Even minor changes can have wide ranging consequences, often triggering adjustments across multiple fixtures. This is where Atos’ long standing experience is critical.
Fixture-list compiler Glenn Thompson, Atos UK&I, said: “There are pinch points in the process where it can become stressful, culminating in several days in a room manually checking for any issues that may have cropped up. The whole process is complex involving many different data points. Ultimately you can't satisfy everyone and it's a compromise across all clubs without favouring any one club.”
Global football calendar
This year’s fixture list has also been shaped against an increasingly demanding global football calendar, with a focus on player welfare, recovery time and alignment with international competitions.
Michael Herron, Head of Atos UK&I said, “For millions of fans, the release of the Premier League fixture list is when a new season really comes to life. We’re proud to support the Premier League and are looking forward to another exciting season ahead.”
Major global showcases
Atos has maintained a dedicated Sports and Major Events division for more than 30 years. This experience in delivering innovative solutions for the world’s most prestigious competitions enables Atos to provide the flexibility and technological excellence required for all types of events — from local tournaments to major global showcases.
Leading this commitment is its role as UEFA’s Official IT Partner for National Team Football since late 2022, as well as its long-standing relationship with many other sports international organizations. Most recently, Atos became CONMEBOL’s Official Innovation Partner, which will focus on South American football’s domestic-club competitions.
