Atlético Madrid and Google team up to tackle cybercrime in sports

From ticket fraud to data breaches, Atlético de Madrid's latest move with Google Cloud marks a game-changing step towards securing digital spaces in the ever-evolving world of sports.

Sport and technology are closely linked, whether you're at the game or not. Ticket purchases, looking up the expected goals, shopping for merch, or even placing a cheeky bet require vast amounts of data, which coalesce into one huge infrastructure.

Supporting a team is like being part of a tribe, and one of Spain’s best-known teams, Atlético de Madrid, has partnered with Google Cloud since 2024 to protect all of this personal information for fans and the club alike.

As fans enjoy discussing and debating the game on social media, as well as joining the line for club membership, they desire to do so in a safe environment, free from malicious hackers.

Factor in that touts often try to resell tickets for astronomical prices online, and guaranteeing robust cybersecurity becomes a vital component.

Atlético’s renewal and continuation with Google into the future and beyond is a major coup. It sets a precedent in tackling what could become a more appealing target, especially given the ever-increasing global coverage and richly enhanced entertainment business with global reach.

Certain teams have faced cyberattacks in the past before. Notably, Manchester United and Barcelona both faced malicious attempts in 2020, which, thankfully, were rebuffed, largely due to having a digital fort.

Bologna, however, weren’t so lucky. In 2024, the Italian Serie A team was rocked by a major data spillage by malicious attackers. After declining to pay a huge ransom, the breach spilled out confidential information about young players, particulars about current employees, and even details of the team’s commercial and sponsorship ventures.

Alarmingly, this could have been even more severe hadn’t it been for the interception by the RansomHub group system.

Atlético Madrid is a team known for its resilience and tactical discipline. Current manager Diego Simeone has somehow been at the club since 2011 and is somewhat of a cult hero. Building lasting relationships, then, is something the club is in step with, and with this longevity, it can be sealed.

Sports at large would benefit from shoring up digitally to combat scams and protect fans' data. As a big-tech giant, Google can also play the innovator's role. By being pioneers with Gemini and Vertex, perhaps they’ll be able to outfox their opponents in the next game, as well as cybercriminals.