Crypto’s sports-sponsorship boom hits a wall as UK freezes $13.5M Sorare payment

Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has halted approximately $13.5 million (£10 million) that Sorare made to the Premier League, raising new questions regarding crypto companies cashing in on the global sporting event.

These funds were transferred by Sorare as a part of its four-year-long licensing agreement with the League and fall under civil-recovery investigation targeting “alleged third-party criminality.”

Sponsoring teams in football allows crypto businesses to connect with millions, but the freeze has proven the point that such payments may attract regulators’ attention as well.

Why one frozen payment rattles the whole sponsorship model

An order to freeze the accounts mentioned in the ICLG report was issued by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in January of 2025 but has only been made public by The Sun this week. The money involved is in the amount of £10,024,041.33 and is deposited in a Barclays bank account that belongs to The Football Association Premier League Limited.

The NCA stated that the aim of the order is “to prevent dissipation of the funds while the NCA investigates any potential links between those funds and alleged third-party criminality.” The Premier League has not been accused of any wrongdoing and has requested the court to change this order, which is valid until September 14.