The UK National Crime Agency has frozen £10.02 million, roughly $13.5 million, held in a Premier League bank account as part of a civil recovery investigation involving funds received through the league’s former partnership with blockchain fantasy sports platform Sorare.
A Westminster Magistrates’ Court order obtained in January 2025 froze exactly £10,024,041.33 in a Barclays account belonging to The Football Association Premier League Limited. The order prevents the money from being moved while the NCA examines potential links between the funds and alleged criminality involving third parties.
There is no allegation of wrongdoing against the Premier League. Sorare has also maintained that it is not the subject of the NCA investigation and is not a party to the freezing-order proceedings.
Frozen Funds Came From Premier League Partnership
The money represents the first payment connected to Sorare’s Premier League agreement, which began in January 2023 and gave the platform rights to issue blockchain-based digital player cards featuring footballers from all 20 clubs.
The Premier League publicly confirmed a four-year Sorare licence when the partnership launched. The commercial agreement was reported at about £120 million across its term, or roughly £30 million annually, although the parties did not publicly disclose its value when announcing the deal.
Sorare’s fantasy sports platform lets users collect and trade digital player cards and use them in competitions tied to real-world player performance. Lionel Messi has been among the athletes associated with the company as an ambassador or investor.
The Premier League partnership ended after the 2025-26 season.
Sorare Faces Separate Gambling Commission Trial
The NCA freezing order is separate from Sorare’s ongoing prosecution by the UK Gambling Commission.
Sorare is charged with providing gambling facilities without an operating licence under the Gambling Act 2005. The prosecution was announced in September 2024 after several years of regulatory scrutiny over whether the platform falls within Britain’s gambling framework.
Sorare disputes that classification and maintains that its fantasy competitions are based on skill rather than gambling. Its trial has been postponed to June 7, 2027, at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
The case comes amid wider scrutiny of financial and crypto companies using football sponsorships to reach UK consumers. The FCA recently warned clubs that partnerships with unauthorized financial firms can create legal, money-laundering and reputational exposure, an issue already affecting crypto sponsorships across the Premier League.
Premier League Seeks Change to Freezing Order
The NCA’s action is an account freezing order under the Proceeds of Crime Act rather than a finding that the money constitutes criminal property. The funds remain preserved while investigators examine their provenance and any potential connection to alleged third-party criminality.
The Premier League is seeking to vary the terms of the order at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. The existing freeze remains in force until September 14, 2026.
