Chelsea FC gets a stablecoin sponsor after UK FCA warning to clubs

According to Circle, the USDC stablecoin name will appear on the front of club jerseys for Chelsea’s upcoming football season.

Circle, the issuer behind the USDC stablecoin, will be the latest sponsor for the Chelsea Football Club just months after the UK’s financial watchdog warned about “questionable sponsorship deals with unauthorized financial firms,” including crypto companies.

In a Friday announcement, Circle said its name and USDC would appear on jerseys for Chelsea FC players in the 2026/2027 season. The partnership deal between the football club and the digital asset company came about three months after the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it had sent warning letters to clubs in the Premier League, potentially including Chelsea.

The letters concerned “unauthorized” companies, including crypto businesses, using sponsorship deals to target football fans, potentially breaching UK financial services laws.