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NCA freezes Sorare-linked cash
Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) halted approximately $13.5 million (£10 million) that Sorare made to the Premier League, after a Westminster Magistrates’ Court order issued in January 2025 froze funds held in a Barclays bank account belonging to The Football Association Premier League Limited.
“halted approximately $13.5 million (£10 million) that Sorare made to the Premier League”
The Cryptopolitan report says the money was transferred by Sorare as part of its four-year-long licensing agreement with the League, and that the NCA’s aim was “to prevent dissipation of the funds while the NCA investigates any potential links between those funds and alleged third-party criminality.”
Cryptopolitan adds that the Premier League has not been accused of any wrongdoing and requested the court to change the order, which is valid until September 14.
The Cryptonews.net account similarly describes the freeze as over 10 million pounds ($13.5 million) held by the soccer Premier League and says the order was obtained from Westminster Magistrates’ Court in January 2025 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Cryptonews.net also states that the freeze is understood to relate to the first payment made by Sorare under its $140 million, four-year partnership deal with the Premier League, signed in 2023, and that the deal was terminated at the end of last season.
Court challenge and denials
The Premier League is seeking to vary the terms of the freezing order, which runs to September 14, in a court hearing described by Cryptonews.net as taking place on Monday.
Cryptonews.net reports that Sorare denies any wrongdoing and that neither the Premier League nor Sorare responded to CoinDesk’s request for further comment.
Cryptopolitan frames the freeze as part of a wider UK push to scrutinize sponsorships in football, and it says the Financial Conduct Authority alerted various clubs about the dangers of working with unauthorized financial and cryptocurrency firms on June 3, 2026.
Cryptopolitan quotes Lucy Castledine, FCA consumer-investments director, saying, “A logo on a shirt means one thing: that firm paid for it.”
The same Cryptopolitan piece also quotes Chris Roberts, head of white-collar crime at Grosvenor Law, saying, “Account freezing orders are made by magistrates on application and, importantly, the proceedings are civil rather than criminal in nature.”
Gambling prosecution and timeline
Beyond the NCA freeze, Sorare is also facing a Gambling Commission prosecution, which Cryptonews.net says charged Sorare in September 2024 with providing unlicensed gambling facilities in the first action brought against a blockchain-based platform under the Gambling Act 2005.
“charged in September 2024 with providing unlicensed gambling facilities”
Cryptonews.net reports that Sorare denies any wrongdoing in both matters and that the trial is scheduled for June 7, 2027, at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
Cryptopolitan similarly says the Gambling Commission accused the company of conducting gaming activity in the UK without the required license under the Gambling Act 2005 and that the trial will take place on June 7, 2027, at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
Cryptopolitan adds that Sorare state that the deal will end in 2025-26 season, and it says the company’s investors and ambassadors include Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Zinedine Zidane, and Rio Ferdinand as well as Serena Williams.
The Cryptopolitan report also notes that the NCA freeze order is separate from the Premier League’s status, stating that the Premier League itself is not accused of wrongdoing while the NCA investigates possible links between the funds and alleged third-party criminality.