Chelsea FC Partners with Circle for USDC Jersey Sponsorship Ahead of 2026/2027 Season
Chelsea FC has announced a partnership with Circle to sponsor their jerseys for the 2026/2027 season. The USDC branding will appear on the shirts of Chelsea's men's, women's, and academy teams across all competitions. This deal is set to debut at Stamford Bridge this Sunday during Chelsea's home game against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The partnership comes after the FCA warned football clubs about sponsorship contracts with unregulated companies, including cryptocurrency firms. The regulator raised concerns that unauthorized financial companies may use sponsorship deals to promote speculative or unregulated financial offerings to a massive audience. Circle UK Trading Limited has been listed as authorized by the FCA since 2018 to provide certain financial services to residents.
The one-year deal between Chelsea and Circle ends before full UK FCA stablecoin oversight in October 2027, which may accelerate stablecoin adoption and brand trust while the rulebook arrives. The sponsorship fills a gap left after Chelsea's roughly £40 million-a-year deal with telecoms group Three ended following the sale of the club by Roman Abramovich.