Sports have always been about passion, performance, and competition. But today, whether you are a fan in the stadium, watching from home, or an athlete on the field or track, sports are increasingly shaped by something less visible: innovation and intellectual property.
It is notable that Manchester United was the first English football club to register a trademark and today owns more than 700 registrations around the world. This is a powerful example of the role IP plays in expanding the impact of a team’s brand and in protecting its identity and legacy.
That is why World IP Day 2026, with its focus on the role of IP in sports, is such a timely opportunity to look behind the scenes. The modern sports experience, more immersive for fans and more data driven for teams, did not just happen. It is the result of sustained innovation by engineers, designers, inventors, and entrepreneurs around the world, underpinned by strong and predictable intellectual property systems.
From broadcast to immersion
Not long ago, our consumption of sports was mostly passive. We would wait for a single broadcast feed on TV, at a scheduled time, and we would watch – commercials and all. Today, sports are on all the time, on demand, everywhere, in high definition and fidelity. We stream games and events across multiple devices when it’s convenient for us. Our viewing is enhanced with real time‑data, multiple camera angles, drone footage, and increasingly immersive features that virtually put fans in the game – or at least pitchside.
This transformation resulted from continued investment in R&D and innovation. Technologies like 5G and advanced video compression, developed by Qualcomm, Nokia, Ericsson and others, made streaming live sports possible. In stadiums around the world, private 5G networks now support thousands of users and devices simultaneously without a drop in performance. These technologies also support the use of augmented reality powered glasses to see real-time statistics, access instant replay videos, or use a map to find their way around a venue. These capabilities are made possible by the ultralow latency and high-throughput capabilities in 5G that are not available with previous 4G or with Wi-Fi networks.
Technology as a competitive advantage on the track and the pitch
The benefits of IP-dependent technologies can be seen in some of the world’s most elite sports organizations and fan experiences.
Europe’s strong and predictable intellectual property frameworks play a critical role in supporting continued investment and innovation in these foundational technology areas
Formula 1, for example, is one of the most technologically advanced sports in the world. Teams are continuously investing in R&D to develop new, mostly proprietary technologies to improve car construction and aerodynamics and develop new engine designs. Thousands of engineers, designers, aerodynamicists, data scientists, simulation specialists, technicians and mechanics are employed across the industry, pushing the boundaries of excellence to improve team performance and create a more compelling fan experience.
Races generate terabytes of data from the engine, the tires, the track, and the environment, and need to be processed instantly. Advancements in artificial intelligence enable teams to use data to adapt race strategies immediately, for example, to predict when new tires are required or when to make a pit stop. Advanced computing platforms also support simulations, predictive analytics, and decision making, all under intense time pressure.
Cutting-edge innovations are also giving fans a more immersive, all‑access experience at the racetrack, such as through Qualcomm Technologies’ collaboration with the Mercedes‑AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. At select Grand Prix weekends, fans have stepped inside a virtual reality experience powered by Snapdragon® processors for a hosted tour of the team’s iconic garage, delivering rare behind‑the‑scenes access to the people, technology, and precision that power the Mercedes F1 team on race day.
Similarly, in football, technology is now vital to enabling peak training and performance. Coaches can track player movement and physical load and analyze match footage and tactical patterns, using data‑driven insights in real time to help teams optimize performance. The ability to track data without delay also enables teams to better support an athlete’s health and extend their longevity as a player.
These capabilities are built on decades of research in areas like wireless communications, advanced computing, semiconductor design, signal processing, and multimedia technologies. Europe’s strong and predictable intellectual property frameworks play a critical role in supporting continued investment and innovation in these foundational technology areas.
Why intellectual property matters
For Qualcomm and others, our work in 5G and pre-commercial 6G provides the foundation that allows technologies to work seamlessly together at global scale, whether in smartphones, connected devices, or increasingly, sports infrastructure and media platforms. Qualcomm has developed these advancements over decades through high risk, long-range investment, research, and development. We widely share our inventions by offering to license our patented wireless and other technologies to companies around the world. We then reinvest a significant portion of licensing fees back into R&D, which in turn drives more R&D into the products and technologies that we hope you will experience five to ten years down the road.
World IP Day 2026, with its focus on the role of IP in sports, is such a timely opportunity to look behind the scenes
For more than 40 years, Qualcomm has committed its engineering talent and revenue to developing the next generation of technologies because we know that strong and predictable IP systems in Europe and around the world will protect our inventions and the value we create based on those inventions.
For policymakers, the implications are clear. Protecting strong and predictable IP systems enables the speed of innovation into tomorrow’s technology that delivers cutting-edge products, economic growth, and high-skilled jobs.
A European perspective
Europe has a deep stake in this conversation. European research institutions, companies, and engineers play a vital role in global technology standards and innovation. European sports leagues, teams, and broadcasters are among the most technologically advanced and globally followed.
A robust IP system supports Europe’s innovative ecosystem. It encourages investment, enables fair and transparent licensing, and ensures that innovators—large and small—can participate in global markets on predictable terms. It also aligns with broader European priorities around competitiveness, digital sovereignty, and sustainable growth.
As debates continue around IP enforcement, standard essential patents, and innovation policy, it is worth remembering what is ultimately at stake: the ability to continue delivering transformative technologies that benefit industries across Europe, including in the world of sports.
Looking ahead
Like technology, sports will continue to evolve. Experiences will become more immersive. Data will play an even greater role in performance, safety, and health. Fans will expect richer, more personalized ways to engage with the teams and competitions they love.
Meeting those expectations requires continued innovation and innovation depends on the ability to protect your intellectual property.
On World IP Day 2026, as we celebrate our passion for sports, we should also recognize the unseen foundations that make modern sports more compelling, more accessible and more fun. Strong intellectual property systems will continue to enable creativity, competition, and connection, on the track, on the pitch, and beyond.
Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.
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