TL;DR

AI-generated images and videos of footballers are flooding social media, from harmless novelty content to realistic deepfakes that are indistinguishable from real photographs. UK law currently offers limited protections for individuals whose likenesses are used, and legal experts say challenging platforms directly may be the fastest and cheapest remedy available.

The scale of the problem

AI-generated content involving footballers ranges from the obviously absurd — Messi and Ronaldo cutting each other’s hair — to the dangerously realistic. When Manchester City signed Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January, AI images of both players signing contracts appeared before the club’s official photos were even taken. The fakes were impossible to distinguish from genuine photographs.

More concerning cases have included a fabricated video of Celtic’s Luke McCowan punching an assistant referee, and deepfake interviews during Euro 2024 showing England head coach Gareth Southgate making derogatory remarks about players. Those videos were viewed by millions before being removed.

Jonty Cowan, legal director at law firm Wiggin LLP, told BBC Sport that AI presents “lots of novel challenges.” UK legislation covering someone’s likeness is limited. Unless a person has suffered demonstrable commercial or reputational damage, options are few.

The Data (Use and Access) Act, which came into force last month, made it a criminal offence to create or share sexually explicit deepfakes. But for non-sexual AI content, recourse remains difficult.

The UK government indicated in December 2024 that it was considering introducing a “personality right” that would give individuals more scope to take action. Clubs have slightly more leverage through trademark and design rights — they can challenge use of their crests or kit designs.

Platforms as the battleground

Cowan suggests that challenging platforms directly is the most practical route. The Online Safety Act places obligations on platforms to tackle illegal content, and takedown mechanisms may prove faster and cheaper than court action.

Digital rights companies already use AI to scrape websites and apps, identifying where intellectual property or image rights have been misused, and requesting takedowns on behalf of clubs and players.

Looking forward

Cowan expects transparency requirements similar to advertising disclosure rules may emerge — a “#AI generated” label in the corner of content. But enforcement will be the challenge: creators producing harmful deepfakes are unlikely to self-label. For now, clubs appear content to treat AI content as a social media phenomenon, but that stance may not hold as the technology improves.

Share this article