- Professional soccer coach admits to using ChatGPT to help with tactics
- Seattle Reign’s head coach Laura Harvey admitted to using AI to pick a formation in this season’s NWSL
- The Reign have qualified for the NWSL Playoffs starting next month
Would you be shocked to hear your favorite sports team’s head coach admit they used ChatGPT for tactical help? Well, that’s what’s happened with NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) team Seattle Reign.
The Reign’s manager, Laura Harvey, speaking on the Soccerish Podcast, admitted publicly that she asked ChatGPT for tactical advice, and when the AI told her to try a back five (5-defender) formation, she did just that.
Harvey said, “One day in the off-season, I was writing things into ChatGPT like, ‘What is Seattle Reign’s identity?’ And it would spurt it out. And I was like ‘I don’t know if that’s true or not.’”
She added, “And then I put in, ‘What formation should you play to beat NWSL teams?’ and it spurted out every team in the league and what formation you should play. And for two teams, it went, ‘You should play a back five.’ So I did. No joke, that’s why I did it.”
It’s a wild admission from a professional coach, especially considering how highly esteemed those who make decisions in our favorite organizations are. While Harvey never said which teams she used ChatGPT’s tactical advice for, the Seattle Reign used a five-at-the-back formation in a loss against Orlando Pride in April this year.
Seattle Reign are currently sitting in fourth in the NSWL and are aiming to recreate that success in the playoffs, which are set to start in November.
Is your team using ChatGPT for tactics?
As a massive sports fan, I honestly find this admission baffling. My honest take would be it’s either a publicity stunt to bring attention to the NWSL and Seattle Reign, or Laura Harvey is just happy to take criticism about her practices as a head coach.
Considering the wages paid to any pro athlete in comparison to those of us working in standard office jobs, it’s crazy to think that someone would use ChatGPT to help make sporting decisions.
With so much riding on the line, entrusting AI to make tactical choices, without real analysis, is baffling, and a stark contrast from the deep research you’d expect most head coaches would put the time into conducting.
I’m not saying AI doesn’t have its place in the world of sport, and with so much data taken into account when making decisions, it can absolutely play its part. But asking ChatGPT what tactics to play in a professional sports setting is almost a sackable offense, showcasing a lack of knowledge, really, and a lack of self-awareness to admit to it publicly.
Using ChatGPT to help win a game in Football Manager 2026 is one thing; using it to hoist the NWSL trophy is another. That said, if ChatGPT can help you become a professional soccer coach now, maybe my dream job is a possibility.
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john-anthony.disotto@futurenet.com (John-Anthony Disotto)
