Summary
- Britain’s National Crime Agency froze upwards of 10 million pounds ($13.5 million) residing inside a Premier League financial account while probing potential connections between those assets and alleged third-party illegal activity.
- The capital is reportedly linked to the initial remittance made by Sorare under a canceled $140 million partnership with the Premier League, which faces no accusations of misconduct.
- This inquiry operates independently from a Gambling Commission proceeding charging Sorare with supplying unauthorized betting operations, accusations the enterprise refutes.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom locked over 10 million pounds ($13.5 million) in liquid funds belonging to the English football Premier League.
The mandate to freeze these assets, secured via the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in January 2025 pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act, is understood to concern the first disbursement executed by Sorare as part of their $140 million, four-year collaborative agreement with the Premier League established in 2023, The Sun reported Tuesday. The contract concluded at the conclusion of the previous season. The Premier League is not suspected of any illicit behavior.
“The objective of this order is to stop the dissipation of these resources while the NCA looks into any potential ties linking those finances to suspected third-party criminality,” shared an NCA representative through an emailed statement. The organization did not identify the specific offense under examination.
Neither the Premier League nor Sorare issued a reply to CoinDesk regarding requests for additional commentary.
This freeze arrives as British authorities heighten oversight regarding digital asset sponsorship arrangements in soccer. The Financial Conduct Authority cautioned Premier League clubs that alliances alongside unapproved cryptocurrency entities could violate financial services regulations.
The NCA probe remains distinct from a Gambling Commission prosecution targeting Sorare, which was charged in September 2024 with furnishing unlicensed gambling facilities during the inaugural enforcement action directed at a blockchain-powered platform under the Gambling Act 2005. Sorare rejects any culpability across both situations.
Sorare administers a fantasy sports digital trading card game where participants construct virtual rosters utilizing tokenized player cards, operating initially as an exclusive cryptocurrency marketplace via ETH and SOL prior to permitting fiat currency payments during August 2023. The organization featured Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Zinedine Zidane among its spokespeople. Messi communicated his international retirement on Monday.
The Premier League aims to modify the conditions of the freeze order, which extends until September 14, during a legal proceeding scheduled for Monday.
Originally published at https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/09/01/uk-s-crime-agency-freezes-premier-league-usd13-5-million-account-in-crypto-crime-probe.
