U.K. freezes £10m in Premier League account over Sorare gambling probe

U.K. law enforcement has frozen £10,024,041.33 held in a Barclays account in the name of Football Association Premier League Limited as part of an investigation tied to Sorare, the crypto gaming company backed by Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. For PSPs and merchants in high-risk verticals, the useful part is not the football cameo — it is the mechanics: a commercial partner’s funds can be locked up while investigators test whether there is a link to unlicensed gambling or third-party criminal activity.

1. The freeze was obtained by the National Crime Agency (NCA) under the Proceeds of Crime Act from Westminster Magistrates’ Court in January 2025. The current order remains in effect until Sept. 14, and the Premier League is due in court on the 6th to seek changes to the conditions of the order.
2. The money was the first installment under a deal Sorare signed with the Premier League, reportedly worth £30 million a year and £120 million over four years. The Premier League and Sorare announced the partnership in 2023, with Sorare gaining rights to issue digital cards for players from the Premier League’s 20 clubs.
3. The NCA said the purpose of the freeze is to prevent the funds from disappearing or being dispersed while it investigates whether there is a potential link between the money and third-party criminal allegations. The Premier League is not suspected of having engaged in illegal activity, and it declined to comment on the freeze.
4. Sorare runs a fantasy sports game where users build virtual teams with digital cards featuring real players, enter contests with the cards they own, and are scored based on those players’ performances in actual matches. When the deal was announced, the Premier League said it would “provide another way for fans to connect with their favorite clubs and players.”
5. Sorare’s investors, ambassadors and advisers listed on the Premier League’s website included Messi, Zinedine Zidane, Mbappé, Rio Ferdinand and Serena Williams. At the time, Sorare was valued at £3.21 billion. The report says there is no suggestion these individuals were involved in the alleged illegal activity.

The practical takeaway for payment teams is straightforward: if you are bankrolling a high-risk partner with mixed gaming, crypto and wagering-adjacent exposure, the funds can become part of an evidence-preservation process before anyone has finished their press statements. That matters for merchant onboarding, reserve structures, and how quickly commercial receivables can stop being very available.