Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced a new AI‑native network for Atlético de Madrid’s Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, replacing the eight‑year‑old infrastructure with more than 1,500 Wi‑Fi 7 access points managed through Aruba Central. The deployment will be executed in two phases over the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons, aligning with HPE’s phased rollout strategy.
The new network will employ AI‑driven radio‑frequency management, location services, and presence analytics to generate real‑time heatmaps and mobility flows across stadium sectors. These insights will help the club improve security, optimize staffing, and enhance fan engagement by tailoring services to crowd behavior, while AI‑controlled power‑save modes will reduce energy consumption during low‑traffic periods.
This deal is a key milestone for HPE’s networking segment, which grew 150% year‑over‑year in Q4 2025. It follows the July 2025 acquisition of Juniper Networks, which expanded HPE’s portfolio and reinforced its strategy of delivering AI‑native infrastructure for high‑profile venues. The stadium, opened in 2017, has already been recognized for its advanced connectivity and is now set to become the most intelligent stadium in Europe with this upgrade.
By deploying the network at a high‑density venue, HPE demonstrates its ability to deliver large‑scale, AI‑driven infrastructure that supports major events, reinforcing its narrative as a full‑stack AI infrastructure platform. The project showcases HPE’s integration of Aruba and Juniper technologies and positions the company to win similar contracts in sports and entertainment markets.
The new network will further cement the stadium’s status as a leading smart venue, providing HPE with a high‑profile showcase for its AI‑enabled networking solutions and signaling continued growth in the company’s networking business.
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