FCA issues letter to Premier League clubs warning of risks in crypto-asset sponsorship arrangements with unauthorised firms
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a letter to Premier League football clubs on 3 June 2026 setting out its concerns about sponsorship arrangements between clubs and crypto-asset businesses that are not authorised by the regulator. The letter, now reported in detail, places the football sector on formal regulatory notice that such arrangements may expose clubs to legal and reputational risk under the UK's financial promotions regime. Unauthorised crypto-asset businesses are prohibited from communicating financial promotions to UK consumers unless the promotion is approved by an FCA-authorised person or falls within a specific exemption. By entering into commercial arrangements with unauthorised crypto firms, clubs risk facilitating promotions that breach the FCA's financial promotions framework, even where the club itself is not directly issuing the promotion. The FCA's concerns are framed around the risks to consumers who may be influenced by club-associated branding to engage with products from unregulated providers. The intervention reflects the FCA's ongoing effort to bring crypto-asset marketing within its supervisory perimeter following the extension of financial promotion rules to qualifying crypto-assets. Premier League clubs carry significant consumer reach and brand influence, which amplifies the potential harm from arrangements that effectively lend legitimacy to unauthorised firms. The FCA's use of a sector-wide letter, rather than enforcement action against a specific club, signals a compliance-first approach at this stage, but it also creates a documented paper trail against which future enforcement could be measured if clubs fail to respond adequately.
Why this matters
This intervention sits at the intersection of the FCA's expanding crypto regulatory perimeter and its consumer protection mandate, and it carries direct implications for Premier League clubs as regulated or quasi-regulated commercial actors. Clubs entering sponsorship deals with crypto firms now face meaningful legal exposure if those firms are not FCA-authorised, because facilitating non-compliant financial promotions can engage liability even for parties that are not themselves the promoter. The FCA's approach of using a sector letter rather than a fine is consistent with its supervisory toolkit for signalling expectations before enforcement, but regulated entities and their advisers should treat a named FCA letter as the functional equivalent of a formal warning. Financial regulation, sports law, and commercial contracts practices are all activated, as clubs will need legal advice on reviewing existing sponsorship agreements, adding compliance warranties, and implementing approval processes for any crypto-related marketing content.
On the Ground
On a regulatory advisory instruction for a Premier League club, a trainee would assist with drafting a compliance gap analysis memo mapping existing crypto sponsorship arrangements against the FCA's financial promotions requirements, and update a remediation tracker logging steps taken in response to the FCA letter. Reviewing the club's existing commercial agreements for relevant representations and warranties, and drafting regulatory notification letters to the FCA confirming the club's response, would also be standard tasks.
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“What legal obligations do Premier League clubs have when entering into sponsorship arrangements with crypto-asset businesses, and how should they respond to an FCA sector letter?”
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