What First Sports International does

First Sports International Ltd is a UK-based provider of cloud-based sports and leisure management software, headquartered in Staines Upon Thames and operating as a private limited company. The company serves national governing bodies, sports clubs, leisure centres, and gyms with a modular platform built around two core products — RUN.IT, an all-in-one leisure management suite, and the Game Management System (GMS) for sports clubs. The platform integrates ten functional modules (EPOS, events and venue booking, mobile app, competition management, reporting and analytics, finance management, courses and qualifications, product management, website solution, and sales and prospecting) plus four vertical solutions for gyms, leisure centres, sports clubs, and NGBs, and a Club Sites sub-brand that extends the platform into club-level digital presence.

The company's customer base includes several of the UK's most prominent sporting institutions. England Rugby uses the GMS to manage 2.3 million-plus records across 50 regional bodies and more than 2,000 independent clubs; England Netball runs its 92,000-plus member affiliation, membership, and payments stack on the platform; the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (Wimbledon) has used First Sports for 16 years for year-round club operations and Championships accreditation; and Leisure United, an 18-site football and fitness operator with 100,000-plus monthly participants, runs registrations, access control, bookings, POS, and payments end-to-end on RUN.IT.

First Sports operates a direct enterprise field-sales motion with bespoke quotations and annual subscription/licensing fees, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The company has 101–250 employees and reports no public funding history. Under the 'FIRST – Best in Sports' sub-brand, the company has recently expanded beyond its UK sports-software roots into Latin America's regulated sports betting market through long-term partnerships with Brazilian operator Pixbet (announced 2025-11-04) and the Matchbook sportsbook platform launch in Brazil (2026-01-09), supported locally by A2FBR. This pivot signals a deliberate repositioning from UK vertical SaaS toward sportsbook infrastructure, while retaining the legacy RUN.IT/GMS business as the operational anchor.

Name

First Sports International

Legal name

First Sports International Ltd

Website

https://first-sports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

First Sports International provides cloud-based sports and leisure management software to UK national governing bodies, clubs, leisure centres, and gyms through modular RUN.IT and GMS platforms, and has expanded into Brazil's sports betting market via Pixbet and Matchbook partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Walton Upon Thames

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Subscription/Licensing: Annual or multi-year software licensing and subscription fees for access to the cloud-based platform and its various modules (GMS, RUN.IT, EPOS, etc.). Pricing appears quote-based with bespoke quotations tailored to client requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

First Sports International develops and licenses a cloud-based modular sports and leisure management software platform built around two core products — RUN.IT for leisure operators and the Game Management System (GMS) for sports clubs — augmented by integrated modules (EPOS, venue booking, mobile app, competition management, finance, reporting, website solutions) and vertical solution bundles for gyms, leisure centres, sports clubs, and national governing bodies. The company also provides Tier-1 sportsbook technology infrastructure for sports betting operators in Latin America under the FIRST – Best in Sports brand.

Product overview

First Sports International offers a modular platform architecture built around its core RUN.IT and Game Management System (GMS) products, which serve as the central hub for sports and leisure venue management. The platform comprises 10 integrated modules (EPOS, Events and Venue Booking, Mobile App, Competition Management, Reporting & Analytics, Finance Management, Courses and Qualifications, Product Management, Website Solution, and Sales & Prospecting) plus 4 vertical solutions (Gyms, Leisure Centres, Sports Clubs, and NGB). The system is designed as 'the only technology company to offer a truly end-to-end solution,' connecting back-office operations through front-desk and member-facing interfaces. Club Sites provides a sub-brand website builder for sports clubs seeking lighter-weight digital presence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RUN.IT: An all-in-one leisure management software solution designed to improve efficiency, drive economy and increase engagement for sports and leisure operators.
• GMS (Game Management System)

Products and services

• RUN.IT All-in-one cloud-based leisure management software solution that consolidates member management, facility operations, financial tracking and customer engagement for sports and leisure operators.
• Game Management System (GMS) Comprehensive cloud-based sports club management platform providing administrative control for registration, access, subscription, event management, transactions and communications across the entire club operation.
• Gyms Solution Comprehensive gym management software covering membership, class scheduling, shop and cafe operations, website integration, access control (QR code or biometric), and financial reporting across all cost centres, aimed at national and regional multi-chain gyms as well as single-location operators.
• Leisure Centres Solution All-encompassing leisure centre management software integrating access control, class and facility bookings, shop or cafe sales, membership management, and comprehensive real-time reporting across a leisure centre's full operational footprint.
• Sports Clubs Solution End-to-end sports club software enabling club membership management, fixture and official organisation, player performance tracking, fan engagement, score reporting, and multi-team management with connection to National Governing Bodies, aimed at football, rugby, tennis, netball and other sports clubs.
• NGB (National Governing Bodies) Solution Software solution for national governing bodies enabling collection and refinement of sports data across national, regional and local levels, supporting consistency across the sport from grassroots to professional.
• Club Sites Customisable template-driven website builder enabling sports clubs to create mobile-optimised websites with seamless integration to First Sports software solutions, pushing fixtures and results live from governing bodies.
• EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) Complete professional EPOS solution with customisable till front end, multiple payment options, live sales reporting, staff management, and full integration with terminals and hardware for leisure and sports venues.
• Events and Venue Booking Online, front desk and one-touch kiosk system that manages and sells all individual and block bookable activities including courts, pitches, lessons, studios, and conference rooms with automated booking confirmation.
• Mobile App Solution White-label mobile application enabling clubs to promote and retain members with personalised branding, in-app booking, push notifications, and full payment integration directly to the central database.
• Competition Management Adaptable CMS for administering and managing sports competitions, fixtures, officials, discipline, match reporting and statistics with open API functionality and electronic match card for real-time score submissions.
• Reporting and Analytics BI, bespoke and automated real-time reporting solution enabling accurate KPI measurement, facility performance tracking, benchmarking, and year-on-year comparisons with Excel export capabilities.
• Finance Management Complete financial control solution with integrated payment solutions for cash, bank cards, cashless member accounts, wallet apps (Apple Pay, Google Pay), scheduled direct debits, full invoice control, and real-time income information across profit centres.
• Courses and Qualifications Solution for recording and tracking qualifications and accreditations centrally, integrating with websites for real-time course data, booking attendance tracking, results management, and automated communications.
• Product Management Full control solution for stock, sales and profits management with one stock system for all items, dynamic product logic for automatic reordering, pricing management, and comprehensive product sales reporting.
• Website Solution Mobile-optimised website solution with easy-to-use CMS, automatic display of fixtures, results, classes and events, individual profile portals, online membership joining and payment, and bespoke development and hosting services.
• Sales and Prospecting Sales journey management solution from enquiry to customer loyalty featuring a powerful automated sales engine, integrated GDPR-compliant system, and detailed reporting with KPI tracking and conversion targets.
• FIRST – Best in Sports (Sportsbook Platform / Tier-1 sportsbook infrastructure) Tier-1 sportsbook technology infrastructure under the FIRST – Best in Sports brand providing fully localised, high-performance sportsbook offerings for licensed sports betting operators, including LatAm-built infrastructure designed for regional betting behaviours, payment systems (real-time PIX integration), sports culture, and native Portuguese UX.

Quantifiable outcome

• Using RUN.IT continues to increase productivity and profitability for chain of 10 hubs - managing seamlessly every aspect from pitch bookings to fitness membership direct debits to daily cafe sales
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MatchbookcoreTechnology or Integration · 9 January 2026Matchbook launched its sportsbook platform in Brazil (matchbook.bet.br) in partnership with FIRST – Best in Sports, combining Matchbook's exchange betting and fixed odds expertise with FIRST's Tier-1 sportsbook technology infrastructure. Launch supported locally by A2FBR.
• A2FBRminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 January 2026Local Brazilian partner providing support for Matchbook and FIRST's sportsbook operations in Brazil, assisting with regulatory alignment and market entry.
• PixbetcoreTechnology or Integration · 4 November 2025Long-term partnership with Brazilian betting operator Pixbet to power a fully localised, high-performance sportsbook offering in Brazil's newly regulated market. Combines Pixbet's market leadership with FIRST's LatAm-built infrastructure designed for regional betting behaviours, payment systems, and sports culture including native Portuguese UX and real-time PIX integration.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Legend Club Management Systems: UK-based provider of club management software for sports and social clubs. Comparable as a direct competitor offering membership, subscription, and event management to clubs in the same UK market niche as First Sports' GMS offering.
• ClubWise: UK club management software for sports and leisure clubs covering membership, accounting, and online bookings. Competes with First Sports in the same grassroots and membership-based club management category.
• Jonas Club Software: Established club and member management software provider offering membership, billing, and POS to private clubs and leisure operators globally. A larger incumbent competing in the same vertical as First Sports.
• Sport:80: Sports federation management platform serving NGBs and sports organisations with member management, event, and competition tools. Directly comparable to First Sports' NGB Solution vertical.
• XN Leisure: UK-based leisure management software for leisure centres, gyms, and sports facilities covering bookings, memberships, and payments. Direct competitor in First Sports' leisure centre vertical.
• Pragmatic Solutions: B2B sportsbook and iGaming platform provider offering PAM and sportsbook technology to operators in regulated markets. Directly comparable as a sportsbook platform technology peer given First Sports' Pixbet and Matchbook partnerships.
• EveryMatrix (OddsMatrix): B2B sportsbook, PAM, and turnkey platform provider for regulated betting operators worldwide. Comparable to First Sports' Brazilian sportsbook infrastructure offering.
• Kambi Group: Premium B2B sportsbook platform and odds feed provider serving operators in regulated markets. Comparable to First Sports' "Tier-1 sportsbook technology infrastructure" line of business.

Emerging players

• LeagueApps (PlaySports): US-based sports league, club, and team management platform serving youth and amateur sports organisations. Comparable in product scope to GMS though focused on the US market.

Broad incumbents

• Mindbody: Large incumbent fitness and wellness business management SaaS serving gyms and studios. Overlaps with First Sports' Gyms vertical as a broader, well-capitalised competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/F1rstSports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Sports International