London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Is the future of football financing in cryptocurrency?

Is the future of football financing in cryptocurrency?

With examples of football players now being bought, sold, and paid using Bitcoin, we ask the question, is football and crypto a match made in heaven?

FOOTBALL NOW is a new show that brings to light some of the biggest issues, challenges, and debates within the global game.

Football’s relationship with technology hasn’t been the best historically. Just a few years ago, David de Gea’s transfer to Real Madrid fell through because the fax machine was too slow. But now, there has been a breakthrough as cryptocurrency finds its way into the sports world.

Ex-Real Madrid forward David Barral made transfer history in early 2021 when he became the first footballer to be signed with Bitcoin used as payment. Spanish team Dux International announced the move on Twitter saying, “He becomes the first signing in history in cryptocurrencies. Thanks to Criptan, our new sponsor, for making it possible”.

However, they are not the only club to have dabbled in crypto. Italian Serie C club Rimini FC sold 25% of their stake using Quantcoin, AZ Alkmaar’s players became the first in the Netherlands to be paid in Bitcoin while Premier League’s Watford display Bitcoin’s logo on their shirt.

Watford became the first Premier League side to have a Bitcoin logo on their shirt


What is Bitcoin?


Like any other currency, Bitcoin is a medium of exchange. It was the world’s first entirely virtual currency when it was introduced back in 2009. It was created through a process called cryptography, which ‘essentially is the art of knitting different encryptions of code’, explains University of Liverpool Senior Lecturer in Business and Sports management David Cockayne.

Key facts:


No notes or coins, its value appears as a number on a screen.

New bitcoin created by a process called ‘mining’ in supercomputers using complex code

New bitcoins are not printed, they’re produced by people and businesses running computers worldwide

The industry has realised that digital payment systems could attract sponsorships as well as further monetising fan engagement. How so? Through fan tokens.

Supporters can easily download an app and buy tokens that give them access and influence over certains matters at their favourite club, such as kit design and pre-match music.

Alexandre Dreyfus, CEO of the fan token platform Socios, believes they are just the beginning of a change in the relationship between fans and clubs.

“We believe that fantasy games and digital assets in general is going to definitely, maybe not change football, but it's going to be part of this disruption that is needed to actually make sports and football a little bit closer to the fans. We think that in the next five to 10 years, the relationship between fans and the club is going to grow from a passive fan to an active fan” he explains.

Socios already have over 60 clubs to their name, including football giants such as Barcelona and Man City. Even Lionel Messi jumped on the bandwagon by receiving fan tokens as part of his welcome package at PSG, but not everyone is on board.

“They say it's all very crypto, it's very technological. It's ‘we don't understand it, but it's very cool." says finance expert David Gerrard.

And I don't see a lot of them taking off in the future because the crypto bit is just for marketing, it's really just tokens for fans to trade or get things in the shop or whatever.

"Don't believe the hype. Look at what it actually does, look at what you get as a fan, look at what it does for the club."
-David Gerard-
Finance Expert



Another crypto by-product gaining momentum is the NFT also known as ‘non-fungible tokens’. NFTs are like physical collector’s items but digital assets where unique data is added to the files to represent ownership. It can be anything from a video or image of a significant sporting moment like Messi’s first-ever goal or digital trading cards, but some may come at a great cost. Only a few weeks ago, a one-of-a-kind digital NFT card featuring Cristiano Ronaldo sold for a staggering €353,400.

A Cristiano Ronaldo NFT has been one of the highest selling in football


Crypto might be complex, it might be volatile, but it’s here to stay. As the explosion of interest in digital currencies increases and more football clubs embrace them, are we’re set for a future of Bitcoin wages, decisions from fans on apps, and virtual card trading?.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×