UK's National Crime Agency Freezes $13.6M of Premier League Money in Sorare Probe: Report

In brief

• The UK’s National Crime Agency has frozen $13.6 million (£10,024,041.33) held in a Premier League bank account under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
• The money was the opening instalment of a four-year sponsorship deal with Sorare, the crypto fantasy soccer card game.
• Sorare separately faces a Gambling Commission prosecution over allegedly running gambling without a licence, with trial due next June.

Britain's National Crime Agency has frozen more than $13.6 million (£10,024,041.33) sitting in a bank account belonging to the Premier League, England's top soccer division and the most-watched league in the world, as it investigates the crypto company that paid it, UK paper The Sun reported.

The agency obtained the order from Westminster magistrates' court in January 2025 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, covering funds held in a Barclays account in the name of The Football Association Premier League Limited. Its purpose is "to prevent dissipation of the funds while the NCA investigates any potential links between those funds and alleged third-party criminality," a spokesperson said.

The money was the first payment from Sorare under a four-year sponsorship announced in January 2023, according to The Sun. Neither side disclosed the value, which Sorare said was withheld for contractual reasons; it was reported at the time at around $41 million (£30 million) a year, or $163 million (£120 million) across the term. The arrangement gave Sorare the right to issue digital cards of players from all 20 clubs, with clubs paid according to how often their cards were used. It ended after the 2025-26 season.