Big-spending Chelsea sign up crypto firm Circle as shirt sponsor
Chelsea have tapped the crypto industry in their search for a new main sponsor by agreeing a one-year front-of-shirt deal with Circle Internet Group.
The New York-listed company is best known as the issuer of stablecoin USDC, which is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar and will also appear on the shirts of Chelsea’s men’s, women’s and academy teams this season.
The west London Premier League began the season without a front-of-shirt sponsor for the fourth year in a row following a series of short-term partnerships.
“Circle is changing how money moves around the world, and we’re changing what it means to be a global football club,” said Chelsea president of commercial Todd Kline.
“That’s real alignment, not just in values but in our shared ambition to lead on a global stage. This is more than a logo on a shirt, it represents a partner who’s building something. We’re excited to see what we can build together.”
Chelsea’s agreement with Circle marks the most high-profile deal for a company operating in the crypto space with a Premier League club.
Crypto exchange OKX has been Manchester City’s sleeve sponsor since 2023, having upgraded from training kit partner.
“We built USDC on the belief that money should work seamlessly for everyone everywhere, the way the internet does,” said Circle CEO and co-founder Jeremy Allaire.
“Partnering with Chelsea connects us with a global sports community built on that exact same borderless vision.”
Chelsea wait for long-term shirt sponsor continues
Chelsea have not had a multi-year front-of-shirt partner since their deal with mobile network Three expired in 2023.
Instead they have been forced to take short-term agreements with tech platform Infinite Athlete, Damac Properties and AI software firm IFS.
It comes after a summer of turbulence at the Blues, who appointed Xabi Alonso as their sixth permanent manager since the takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake in 2022.
Boehly and fellow co-owner Mark Walter are reported to be considering selling their stakes in the club amid heightened scrutiny of the latter’s business in his native US.
Chelsea have also continued their prolific transfer trading by signing 10 new players for combined fees of around £350m and recouping £190m by offloading eight.