Chelsea Football Club have announced a landmark partnership with Circle Internet Group, Inc., naming the global financial technology company as the club’s new Principal Partner and official front-of-shirt partner from the 2026/27 season.
The partnership will see Circle and its USDC stablecoin brand displayed on the front of Chelsea’s men’s, women’s and academy shirts, with the branding set to make its first appearance on the men’s team jersey when Chelsea host Brighton in their opening Premier League home game of the season on Sunday.
Founded in 2013, Circle is a pioneer in digital assets and describes itself as a company building the financial system for the internet. Its flagship product, USDC, is a regulated stablecoin designed to enable individuals and businesses to transfer money globally with the speed and accessibility of the internet.
Chelsea said the partnership comes at a time when stablecoins are moving from early adoption towards mainstream use, with the technology offering the potential to reduce the cost and friction associated with moving money across borders.
Circle co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire said the partnership reflected the shared belief that money should work seamlessly for people everywhere.
“We built USDC on the belief that money should work seamlessly for everyone everywhere, the way the internet does,” Allaire said. “Partnering with Chelsea connects us with a global sports community built on that exact same borderless vision.”
Circle’s Chief Commercial Officer, Kash Razzaghi, described the partnership as a reflection of the direction of global finance and sport.
“Chelsea connects hundreds of millions of people across every border, and USDC is digital money that moves across those same borders,” Razzaghi said. “USDC on the iconic Chelsea shirt shows the world what the future of global finance looks like: open, borderless, and built for everyone.”
Chelsea FC President Jason Gannon said the agreement would place the club at the forefront of football’s digital evolution, highlighting the shared focus of both organisations on innovation and long-term growth.
“This partnership with Circle positions Chelsea at the forefront of football’s digital evolution,” Gannon said. “We are two organisations fixated by the future and are relentlessly innovating to be in the best position possible for the long-term.”
The partnership will also extend to Chelsea Women, who will begin their inaugural season playing at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea FC Women CEO Aki Mandhar said the collaboration would help introduce Circle and USDC to the club’s growing women’s football audience.
“We are excited to introduce Circle and USDC to the Chelsea Women family for our inaugural season at Stamford Bridge,” Mandhar said, adding that both organisations shared a commitment to forging connections between people.
Todd Kline, President of Commercial at Chelsea FC, said the partnership went beyond conventional shirt sponsorship, describing Circle as a company building the future of global finance while Chelsea continues to expand its position as a global football brand.
“This is more than a logo on a shirt, it represents a partner who’s building something,” Kline said. “We’re excited to see what we can build together.”
The agreement marks another major step in the growing intersection between global football and digital finance, placing a leading stablecoin brand on one of the sport’s most recognisable platforms.