The LaLiga team Real Madrid CF (Spain) and the technology company Cisco have extended their multiyear global partnership and reaffirmed the world’s leading networking and security company as one of the club’s official technology partners.
‘realmadrid.com’ stated that this agreement will incorporate Cisco’s advanced technology at the Real Madrid home ground – the Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain – and significant enhancements to the Real Madrid City.
The Real Madrid CF is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid (Spain). The club competes in LaLiga, the top tier of Spanish football.
The Bernabéu Stadium is a retractable roof football stadium in Madrid, Spain. With a seating capacity of around 78,297 following its extensive renovation completed in late 2024 the stadium has the second-largest seating capacity for a football stadium in Spain. It has been the home stadium of the Real Madrid CF since its completion in 1947.
San Jose (US)-based Cisco is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way the organizations connect and protect in the artificial intelligence (AI) era. For more than 40 years Cisco has securely connected the world. With its industry-leading AI-powered solutions and services Cisco enables its customers, its partners and the communities to unlock innovation, enhance productivity and strengthen digital resilience. With purpose at its core Cisco remains committed to creating a more connected and inclusive future for all.
‘realmadrid.com’ further stated that the partnership renewal took place at the Bernabéu Stadium and the alliance will focus on cutting-edge technology upgrades, including:
- The creation of a scalable, high-performance, AI-ready data center at the Real Madrid City which will boost the club’s energy efficiency measures and enable new AI workloads to be integrated alongside the traditional ones;
- Cisco Wi-Fi 7 around Real Madrid City, a next-generation wireless standard that offers faster speeds, lower latency and seamless connectivity for the fans and the employees; and
- The deployment of robust 100 Gbps network infrastructure connecting the Bernabéu Stadium to the Real Madrid City. Powered by Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) the network will provide simple and secure management, rapid deployment of new services and increased digital resilience across the club’s digital network.
Leading Innovation in Sport Technology
The Cisco solutions have served as the technology foundation of the Bernabéu Stadium for nearly two decades including a comprehensive renovation completed in 2024 that made it the standard-bearer for innovation and fan experience. The renovation involved the implementation of a comprehensive portfolio of Cisco solutions including a single, converged Software Defined Access (SDA) network, the first-of-its-kind in a European stadium. This ensures fast and secure operations by connecting all the assets of the Bernabéu Stadium. Additionally, Cisco’s cloud-based Internet Protocol (IP) Fabric for Media solution is being used to efficiently produce and distribute content to more than 2,500 screens throughout the venue in real-time and to the millions of fans following the action via broadcasts around the world.
Andreu Vilamitjana, head honcho, Cisco Spain and Portugal, said about the agreement, “The networks are at the heart of digitalization which is transforming all the sectors including sport and entertainment. Three years ago the New Bernabéu Stadium set a global benchmark in converged connectivity thanks to Cisco technology. Now, it will once again be a pioneer in delivering immersive, sustainable and cost-effective interactions.”
Added Agostino Santoni, Senior Vice-President, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) South, Cisco, “Technology has the power to transform the fan experience and the Real Madrid CF is marking a new milestone in innovation in sports, entertainment and culture. By leveraging Cisco’s expertise it is not only reinventing sport for the fans but also enriching the experience of hundreds of thousands of visitors to the stadium.”
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