HPE expands AI-focused connectivity infrastructure at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

HPE has expanded its technology partnership with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as the club continues modernizing Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The latest work supports the club's move toward an AI-driven network infrastructure at its 62,850-capacity venue. HPE has been Tottenham Hotspur's official technology partner since 2017 and also serves as its official hybrid cloud and IT enterprise networking partner.

The companies' extended partnership is intended to prepare the stadium for future AI use cases. HPE says the upgrades will provide greater agility, more predictable and optimized IT costs, improved sustainability performance, and AI-powered operations designed to support major sporting and entertainment events.

Wi-Fi coverage upgrade

The stadium is being upgraded to Wi-Fi 7, replacing the existing Wi-Fi 6 routers deployed throughout the venue. The work also introduces HPE Aruba Central and self-driving network capabilities intended to improve reliability and reduce operational complexity.

The rollout is still in progress. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has 1,651 Wi-Fi access points, including 842 installed beneath seats. Rob Pickering, chief technology officer at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, says the network supports up to 30,000 fans at a time on matchdays. Usage rarely falls below 15,000 users and can exceed half the stadium's capacity during events such as concerts.

Wi-Fi 7 provides higher speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity than the previous generation. HPE describes the venue as one of the first outdoor locations to deploy the technology. Pickering said during a stadium tour that Wi-Fi 7 would provide “many orders of times more bandwidth than Wi-Fi 6.”

The multi-million-pound upgrade is part of the club's effort to simplify stadium technology operations. Tottenham Hotspur expects to complete the latest Wi-Fi rollout within the next month.

“Our goal isn't simply to refresh our infrastructure. It's to build a simpler, more resilient technology environment that gives us the flexibility to innovate for years to come, streamline operations, and support the Club's long-term growth,” said Pickering.

“By bringing together AI, hybrid cloud, networking, services, and financial solutions through a single strategic partner, HPE is helping us simplify operations so our teams can focus on supporting every part of the Stadium, from match days to third-party events and day-to-day operations, rather than managing technology. Ultimately, the best technology is invisible to our fans.”

A visible data center

One element that is not hidden from visitors is an HPE data center in the stadium's north stand. Unlike many data centers, the facility is publicly visible, reflecting the importance the club places on its technology partnership with HPE.

“First of all, we've made it a publicly visible asset, which shows the importance of our partnership with HPE. It underpins a lot of what we do from a technology perspective in here,” Pickering said.

The club has replaced its server, storage, and network infrastructure with systems from the HPE GreenLake portfolio, supported by HPE OpsRamp and Morpheus.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium currently houses two data centers. The club also has a data center at its training ground in Enfield, two more at Lilywhite House, the corporate offices attached to the stadium, and another at its retail warehouse.

The club plans to consolidate these facilities. Pickering said the intended final arrangement would be two data centers at the stadium and two at the training ground, although he did not provide a completion date.

AI operations across the stadium

HPE says the infrastructure is managed through HPE Aruba Central, which is being used to unify data center, campus, and edge networking under a single agentic AI operations model.

The platform's “self-driving network” continuously analyzes user, application, and network experience data. It is designed to detect issues proactively and automatically optimize performance, resolve problems, and maintain network operation with limited IT intervention.

HPE ProLiant Compute and HPE Alletra Storage infrastructure supports stadium operations including cashless commerce, security, digital signage, broadcast services, corporate IT, and business-critical applications. These systems are connected to the club's network.

“We need to make sure it works 365 days a year,” Pickering said, explaining that AI operations are a central part of the latest upgrades. Tottenham Hotspur has a relatively small technology team responsible for managing the infrastructure, making automation important for year-round operations.

Pickering also said the club has reduced CO2 emissions by using AI operations to manage stadium technology, including the radio power levels of its access points.

“Together, we're helping Spurs build an AI-driven technology backbone that powers every aspect of the stadium, from critical operations behind the scenes to the digital experiences supporters enjoy on match days and beyond,” said Matt Harris, senior vice president and managing director for the UK, Ireland, Middle East, and Africa at HPE.

Harris said AI operations are being applied not only to predictive maintenance but also to network optimization. The technology does not predict sporting results, but it can help Tottenham Hotspur manage and optimize its network.

The stadium receives close to 2 million visitors each year and has 20,000 network access points across the venue. Reliable connectivity is therefore important for matchdays, concerts, and the other events hosted at the stadium.