Key facts
- Chelsea FC has entered into a one-year front-of-shirt sponsorship agreement with Circle Internet Group.
- Circle is the issuer of the stablecoin USDC, which is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar.
- The sponsorship will feature Circle's branding on the shirts of Chelsea's men's, women's, and academy teams.
- This deal represents the most significant sponsorship agreement between a Premier League club and a cryptocurrency company to date.
- Chelsea has been without a multi-year front-of-shirt sponsor since its contract with Three concluded in 2023.
Chelsea Football Club has secured a one-year front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with Circle Internet Group, the company behind the stablecoin USDC. This agreement marks a significant move for the crypto industry into top-tier football sponsorship.
The deal will see Circle's branding appear on the kits of Chelsea's men's, women's, and academy teams throughout the upcoming season. The west London club had begun the season without a primary shirt sponsor for the fourth consecutive year, having previously relied on a series of short-term partnerships.
Todd Kline, Chelsea's president of commercial, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting the alignment in values and shared ambition with Circle. He stated that the deal represents more than just a logo on a shirt, but a partnership with a company actively building in the financial space.
Circle CEO and co-founder Jeremy Allaire echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the partnership connects Circle with a global sports community that shares its borderless vision for money. He noted that USDC was built on the principle of making money work seamlessly for everyone, everywhere.
This sponsorship is the most high-profile deal involving a crypto firm and a Premier League club. For context, crypto exchange OKX has served as Manchester City's sleeve sponsor since 2023. Chelsea has been actively seeking a long-term front-of-shirt partner since their agreement with mobile network Three concluded in 2023, opting for temporary deals with Infinite Athlete, Damac Properties, and AI software firm IFS in the interim.