OneFootball, the international soccer content portal, has partnered with London-based digital sports agency Stadion to launch a new online soccer marketplace.

The two parties will collaborate to create a personalized e-commerce marketplace where fans will receive AI-powered recommendations and be able to buy merchandise within the existing OneFootball app.

The marketplace, which will go live this summer, will enable fans to purchase a range of official products directly from the app through OneFootball’s global network of more than 130 clubs, leagues, and federations by integrating with their fan-facing channels.

The platform will offer official merchandise and tickets to hospitality packages, memberships, livestreams, memorabilia, and even in-stadium food and beverage orders.

OneFootball claims the tie-up will help partners to generate more direct future revenues through a "native and seamless in-app user experience."

The partnership will leverage Stadion’s OneBasket technology, which consolidates multiple merchants into a unified basket.

The collaboration will also "further modernize digital content publishing, integrating advanced content automation and AI to create highly profitable premium digital experiences."

OneFootball and Stadion’s platforms generate revenue through sponsorships, content amplification, OTT, and marketing. The duo claim the new partnership will enable clients to transition faster to direct-to-consumer models.

Patrick Fischer, chief executive of OneFootball, said: “Our fans and community are at the center of everything we do and now they can explore and purchase the items they want in just a couple of clicks. Stadion and OneFootball also share the vision of helping their partners generate more direct revenue.

“It’s increasingly important to optimize all digital channels to that aim, and this partnership delivers just that. With Stadion, we are offering brands, clubs, and retailers the ability to sell their merchandise and other goods directly to the largest community of digital football fans.

“In the future, we see this extending to all club and league products, making the fan experience better and benefiting the clubs they love - so there is no limitation to become the one-stop-shop for a fan. Our strategy is to be the world’s biggest marketplace for football products.”

Russell Stopford, chief executive of Stadion, added: “Having worked with leading Champions League clubs, we’ve simplified direct fan-to-club transactions. OneBasket is up and running, able to process ticketing, retail merchandise e-commerce, in-stadium F&B, content subscriptions, and online hospitality sales.

“We are thrilled to deploy this ground-breaking technology with OneFootball to bring the world’s first global football marketplace to fans.”