Sorare, the blockchain-based fantasy platform, has agreed a new partnership with LFP Media, the commercial arm of French club soccer’s governing body.
The agreement will see players from France’s top-flight Ligue 1 and second-tier Ligue 2 feature on the Sorare platform.
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Through the deal, the France-based company is licensed to produce digital cards of players from all clubs from the top two French divisions, which fans can buy, collect, and trade as part of its fantasy soccer game.
The individual cards, which are used to build team line-ups, are non-fungible tokens (NFTs) based on the Ethereum blockchain that increase or decrease in value based on the real-world performances of players. Some, such as the Cristiano Ronaldo card, have sold for more than $100,000.
Sorare claims that since its marketplace for Ligue 1 cards opened on August 4, more than 1.3 million cards have already been traded by 100,000 ‘managers’.
The fantasy platform said the tie-up will allow it to “complete its gaming offer” but also to strengthen the brand's visibility in its home market.
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By GlobalDataNicolas Julia, co-founder and CEO of Sorare, said: “We are very pleased to finally be able to announce this partnership with LFP Media, which completes an unparalleled portfolio of licenses in the world of sports entertainment, with more than 300 partners.
“As a French entrepreneur, I am committed to making French professional leagues shine in the 180 countries where we are present, and to exposing the quality of our football and its unique stories to the six million managers on Sorare.
“This partnership also marks a key step in our ambition to create, from France, the leader in sports entertainment.”
Martin Jaglin, director of digital development at LFP Media, added: “This partnership with Sorare allows us to further expand the range of digital services offered to football fans.
“In addition to the MonPetitGazon fantasy, the MonPetitProno predictor, the official Ligue 1 app, and the Ligue 1+ OTT platform, our community can now collect official cards and build their own five-player teams to win rewards.”
Launched in 2018, Sorare now has partnerships with over 300 soccer teams around the world and a host of the biggest leagues, including England’s Premier League, Spain’s LaLiga, the German Bundesliga, Italy's Serie A, and the Netherlands’ Eredivisie.
Club partners include European giants such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich.
In terms of recent deals, Sorare extended its commercial partnership with Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in May for another two seasons.
Sorare, which has offices in Paris and New York, counts major international investment firms such as SoftBank, Accel, and Benchmark among its backers, while global soccer stars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe and tennis icon Serena Williams are investors in the firm.
Meanwhile, LaLiga has announced an exclusive regional partnership with Jordan-based Arab Bank.
The agreement makes Arab Bank the official banking sponsor of the Spanish league across several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
The company will activate the sponsorship through exclusive initiatives, including unique offers, co-created content, and access to soccer experiences.
The bank has had a partnership with the Jordan Football Association for nearly 14 years, and is the main sponsor of the Jordan national football team, which recently qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time.
