Britain’s National Crime Agency has frozen £10,024,041.33 paid by fantasy sports and digital collectibles platform Sorare to the Premier League, according to a court order that has only recently become public. The money is tied to a civil recovery investigation examining possible links between the funds and alleged third-party criminality.
The payment was part of Sorare’s licensing arrangement with the Premier League, a deal that allowed the company to use player likenesses from all 20 clubs in its digital card products. The freeze does not accuse the Premier League of wrongdoing, but it puts a high-profile crypto-linked sports payment under formal scrutiny.
Court order targets Premier League account
The freezing order was issued by Westminster Magistrates’ Court in January 2025. It covers funds held in a Barclays account belonging to Football Association Premier League Limited and is intended to prevent the money from being dissipated while the investigation continues.
The amount frozen is £10,024,041.33, or about $13.5 million based on the figure cited in the source report. The order is linked to an NCA civil recovery case rather than a criminal charge against the league, and the Premier League has applied to vary the order.
Payment came from Sorare licensing deal
The frozen sum relates to a 2023 agreement between Sorare and the Premier League. Under that four-year licensing deal, Sorare gained the right to create digital cards featuring players from all 20 Premier League teams.
The broader agreement was estimated at around £120 million over four years. Sorare reportedly expects the arrangement to run through the 2025-26 season, making the frozen payment part of a much larger commercial relationship between a crypto-adjacent company and one of the world’s most watched football competitions.
Sorare also faces gambling case
The payment freeze comes as Sorare is already under pressure from UK regulators in another matter. The Gambling Commission has brought a prosecution alleging that the company provided gambling facilities without a licence.
Sorare disputes that characterization. It says its product is a game of skill rather than gambling. A trial in that case is scheduled for June 7, 2027, according to the source report.
Wider caution around crypto sports deals
The case adds to broader UK scrutiny of crypto-related sponsorships in football and other major sports. Such partnerships have been used by digital asset companies to reach large mainstream audiences through high-visibility teams and leagues.
The Financial Conduct Authority has previously warned clubs about sponsorship arrangements involving unauthorized crypto firms. It has also identified multiple deals between clubs and firms it had not authorised, while noting that a lack of authorisation does not by itself prove wrongdoing.
For now, the confirmed next step is that the freeze remains in place while the civil recovery investigation proceeds. The order runs until September 14 unless changed by the court, and the Premier League’s request to vary it will be one of the key developments to watch.
Source: Cryptopolitan