It is early days, but the feedback so far with regards to the impact of artificial intelligence in football would appear to be positive.

Lincoln City this season enlisted AI to assist with its set pieces and the results have been staggering.

The League One side netted 30 times, which is six more than the nearest rival and the most in English competitive football.

League One club Lincoln City enlisted AI to assist with set-pieces to staggering effect

Michael Skubala’s side netted 30 times from set-pieces, six more than their closest rival

Sky could be set for even bigger season 

Sky Sports are billing their biggest Premier League season yet, with the broadcaster to air 215 live matches over the new campaign. 

However, should Chelsea win the UEFA Conference League and not qualify for the Champions League, it would mean they will then play on Sunday and become an automatic selection for Sky. 

The broadcaster would then be free to take more games from elsewhere – and mean that viewers could actually be taking in 225 top-flight games in total.

Sky Sports could be set for even more games next year depending on Chelsea’s league finish

Conflict dents India’s Olympic hopes

The recent escalation in the military conflict between Pakistan and India over the disputed Kashmir region has not only seen the postponement of the lucrative Premier League cricket in India and Pakistan, it has also dented any hopes that India would get an accelerated decision for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. 

The IOC is historically reticent to award the Games, even this far out, to a country that is undergoing military tensions.This means that there will be a much more competitive bid campaign also involving the likes of Budapest, Doha and Jakarta.

The escalation in the conflict between Pakistan and India over the disputed Kashmir region has dented India’s hopes of an accelerated decision for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games

The lucrative Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League have been postponed

Freedman flies in to watch Eagles 

He may have headed for pastures new but Dougie Freedman will be flying back to see the Eagles at Wembley. 

The former Crystal Palace sporting director left for a new role in Saudi Arabia in March. However, he will be jetting to London to watch his former charges take on Manchester City on Saturday.

Former Crystal Palace sporting Dougie Freeman will watch his old club in the FA Cup final

Bilbao supporters’ classy gesture

While their team failed to impress, the same could not be said of Athletic Bilbao’s supporters over their semi-final defeat to Manchester United. 

Those who travelled to the Basque country for the first leg were given a warm welcome with few issues while significant numbers who travelled for the second fixture, despite a 3-0 deficit, were loud and impeccably behaved. 

Indeed some, on the bus journey back to Manchester following a 7-1 aggregate loss, were offering to host United fans should they be heading back to Bilbao for the final – with accommodation costs already through the roof.

Athletic Bilbao supporters made a classy gesture to their Manchester United counterparts

Football dementia campaign gathering pace

The campaign to force football to finally tackle its dementia crisis is gathering pace. Earlier this month, former players including Mail Sport‘s Chris Sutton, Sir Geoff Hurst and Kevin Keegan took the fight to Parliament.

They are part of the Football Families for Justice group, which is calling on the sport’s governing bodies to provide effective assistance for ex-stars suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.

Led by John Stiles, son of World Cup winner Nobby, they want politicians to amend the incoming Football Governance Bill to place a statutory duty on the football authorities and the PFA to develop a comprehensive football and dementia strategy – including a financial support scheme agreed with players past and present and their families that helps to cover care home costs.

Further meetings are planned, while Labour MP Chris Evans told the summit that the PFA – one of those in the firing line – emailed him to attack a speech he gave at the Second Reading in which he referred to the ‘so-called union’. Watch this space.