With English soccer's top-tier Premier League having kicked off its 2026-27 season last weekend, a trio of sides have struck significant commercial deals before the campaign's second matchday.
Heavyweights Chelsea have finally secured a principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor through a tie-up with Circle Internet Group (CIG), unveiled today.
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CIG, an alternative currency brand, will have its name and logo present on the front of the Chelsea men's, women's, and academy teams' shirts.
Todd Boehly, the billionaire part-owner of Chelsea, through his firm, Eldridge Industries, is described as "a key financial backer" of Circle.
The deal with the US-based company is understood to be an initial one-year contract.
Ever since Boehly and the Clearlake Capital group took control of the West London club in May 2022, they have opted against traditional front-of-shirt deals of any serious length.
CIG specialises in stablecoins, and in particular a 'digital dollar' called USDC – which is described as the world's "leading regulated stablecoin."
Last season, AI software company IFS featured on the front of Chelsea’s shirts for the final three months of the campaign as part of a wider multi-year global partnership.
The club had played the majority of the 2025-26 season without a primary shirt sponsor.
Chelsea won their first EPL game of the season earlier this week, beating West London rivals Fulham.
Earlier this week, Chelsea extended their partnership with Vietnamese tech solutions firm FPT to cover the 2026-27 campaign. FPT will now be the club’s official digital transformation partner.
In June, Legora, the AI platform for legal professionals, was announced as the team's sleeve sponsor for this season.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, fellow London club Tottenham Hotspur have brought in digital sports betting brand VSbet as a new regional partner.
Through a multi-year tie-up, VSbet becomes the club's official regional betting sponsor in Asia.
VSbet offers customers sports betting, in-play markets, and online casino experiences.
The two parties are now set to work together on regional marketing activity, digital content, and fan engagement initiatives for Asian audiences.
Front-of-shirt partnerships with betting brands are now banned in the EPL, but regional deals such as this are still very much permitted.
Finally, Leeds United have agreed a deal with online stocks and shares marketplace eToro to become their official trading partner.
A multi-year deal gives the brand LED advertising hoarding sponsorship rights on matchdays at the club's Elland Road home stadium, as well as a presence on stadium screens and interview backdrops.
In addition, there will be joint digital content and fan activations provided through the tie-up.
EToro already sponsors fellow top-flight sides Everton and Crystal Palace, and renewed deals with both of those clubs – alongside recently-relegated West Ham – last July.
The company also sponsors a quartet of clubs in France's top-tier Ligue 1, as well as the Premiership men's and women's Rugby competitions in England.
Leeds, meanwhile, unveiled KChat, the encrypted messaging and community platform, as their new sleeve partner for 2026-27, earlier this month.
The Yorkshire club finished 14th last season and won their first game of 2026-27 last weekend, at Nottingham Forest.
