Self-Driving Network Enables Transformation
Atlético de Madrid modernizes its stadium’s connectivity with HPE Networking technology, incorporating AI, automation, and sustainability to create a next-generation infrastructure.
The Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, home of Atlético de Madrid, is advancing its technological transformation with the implementation of a new intelligent, self-driving network infrastructure based on HPE Networking solutions. The project, divided into two phases over the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons, completely modernizes the stadium’s communications system and marks the beginning of a new era in the digitalization of sports infrastructures in Europe.
The new network will replace the current infrastructure, which has been in operation for eight seasons, and will feature over 1,500 next-generation Wi-Fi 7 wireless access points managed through HPE Aruba Central. This platform uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect anomalies, dynamically adjust radio frequency (RF) parameters (channel and power) using the AI-native HPE Aruba Networking AirMatch Wi-Fi RF management and automation technology, thus optimizing performance based on user density. This capability is essential during events with tens of thousands of attendees, when traffic and congestion are at their peak.
The infrastructure will also integrate location services and presence analytics powered by AI, enabling heatmaps and mobility flows to be visualized across different stadium sectors. These insights help improve security, optimize access management, and adjust staffing or logistical resources according to actual fan behaviour. Commitment to energy efficiency is another key pillar of the project. Through AI-powered dynamic power save mode, access points can enter deep sleep mode or reduce their functions when there is no activity, minimizing electricity consumption in a large-scale venue that only operates at full capacity during events. This is possible using AI-powered dynamic power save mode, which enables adjust the energy power use according to the network use.
In parallel, the club is deploying a dedicated network for audiovisual production over IP, completely independent from the general IT network. This infrastructure has been designed with strict segmentation and Quality of Service (QoS) policies to protect the high-bitrate traffic typical of video broadcasts and minimize end-to-end latency. The project is being developed together with Telefónica Services Audiovisuals and HPE, with switching tests and traffic validation currently underway.
The technological modernization of the Riyadh Air Metropolitano will also extend to other club facilities. On plots DS-01 and DS-02 of the Sport City, an HPE network will be deployed for the new municipal sports facilities, with work scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026. Likewise, the High-Performance Center (plot DS-03) will feature a comprehensive HPE network covering training fields, medical areas, press zones, and audiovisual production spaces, with implementation planned between 2025 and 2027.
“Artificial Intelligence applied to networks is no longer a promise; it is a reality that transforms the way complex infrastructures like a stadium are managed,” explains Alfredo Yepez, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Latin America and Southern Europe at HPE. “At the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, AI not only enhances the fan experience, but also reduces energy consumption, anticipates issues, and turns data into operational decisions. It is the next step toward a truly smart stadium.” (stadiaworld, 05.03.2026)
