DAZN launches India's first sports AI hub, its largest globally in Hyderabad.

Global sports streaming giant DAZN has officially launched India's first sports-focused Global Capability Centre in Hyderabad, signaling a major strategic expansion into the country. The new hub is slated to become DAZN's largest globally, with plans to employ approximately 3,000 people by the end of 2026 and invest ₹500 crore over the next three years. This move underscores Hyderabad's rising prominence as a global destination for technology and innovation, particularly in the burgeoning sports-tech sector. The center will be pivotal to the company's worldwide operations, driving the development of next-generation technologies that are reshaping how fans consume and interact with sports content.

The establishment of this GCC is a significant ramp-up of DAZN's presence in India, building upon the foundation of its Centre of Excellence (CoE) set up in Hyderabad in 2023.[1][2] In just two years, the company has scaled its local workforce to over 1,500 employees, including a significant number of highly skilled engineers, data scientists, and developers.[3][1] The new facility, located in Hyderabad's Knowledge City, occupies a sprawling one lakh square feet office space and will serve as the engine for DAZN's technological and product development roadmap.[4][5] This expansion is part of a broader company strategy to decentralize its operations from its London headquarters and tap into global talent pools, with similar recruitment efforts underway in the Netherlands and Poland.[6]

Hyderabad's selection as the site for this major investment was a strategic decision, attributed to several key factors. DAZN's Chief Technology Officer, Sandeep Tiku, has repeatedly highlighted the "perfect destination" of Hyderabad, citing the state government's progressive policies, world-class infrastructure, and, most importantly, the availability of a highly skilled and motivated workforce.[3][7] The government of Telangana has been proactive in fostering a business-friendly environment, a sentiment echoed by DAZN executives who thanked officials for their steadfast support.[4] This move is seen as a major endorsement of Hyderabad's tech ecosystem, which is reportedly adding nearly one new GCC every week, solidifying its reputation as a global hub for innovation-led operations.[3][1][7] Telangana's Minister for Information Technology and Industries, Duddila Sridhar Babu, noted that the state is investing over $15 billion in transformative infrastructure, including a dedicated AI City and Sports City, further enhancing its appeal to tech-focused companies.[3][2][7]

The core focus of the Hyderabad GCC will be on pioneering the next wave of sports technology, with a heavy emphasis on artificial intelligence and real-time analytics.[3][8][7] The teams in Hyderabad will be instrumental in building advanced AI and real-time analytics platforms, scaling both engineering and product innovation.[3][7] Tiku has spoken about the potential of sophisticated streaming technologies, combined with innovations in AI, computer vision, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR), to deliver unprecedented live sports experiences.[9] The work done at the center will be crucial for enhancing DAZN's streaming services, which already utilize a complex, cloud-based architecture and various advanced technologies to ensure low latency and high-quality video delivery to millions of concurrent viewers.[10][11] Job postings for the Hyderabad location reflect this focus, seeking software engineers, data platform engineers, and QA leads with expertise in cloud platforms like AWS, big data, and automation.[12][13][14] The center will also play a key role in developing interactive apps that allow users to buy tickets, and merchandise, and participate in online games and social features.[5][15]

The implications of DAZN's expansion are significant, not just for Hyderabad but for India's entire technology and AI landscape. It represents a major foreign investment in the country's burgeoning sports technology sector and is expected to catalyze further growth and job creation. To foster this growth, DAZN plans to collaborate with local academic institutions to boost skilling and research in the sports tech domain.[16] This partnership model aims to build a sustainable pipeline of talent, ensuring the long-term success of the hub and contributing to the development of high-value employment opportunities across Telangana.[16][7] For DAZN, which currently does not offer its primary streaming service in India, this massive investment in a technology and operations hub signals a long-term commitment and could pave the way for a future market entry, tapping into one of the world's most passionate and rapidly growing sports audiences.[6] The move aligns with the Telangana government's vision of expanding development beyond Hyderabad into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, driven by strategic investments in infrastructure and talent.[8][7]