A London court has extended a freezing order on more than £10 million of Premier League funds as part of an international criminal investigation into a former digital partner.
District Judge Sam Goozee, sitting at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 11 September 2026, granted a four-month extension to the order. The freeze affects a total of £10,024,041.33, plus accrued interest, held in a Premier League bank account.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) is currently collaborating with authorities in Luxembourg on an investigation into the French company Sorare.com. The platform, which specialises in digital football cards and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), had previously entered into a high-profile partnership with the league.
During the hearing, Judge Goozee stated that the freeze was “necessary and proportionate” to prevent the “dissipation of funds” that are suspected to be the “fruits of criminal conduct”. However, the court was clear that there is no suggestion that the Premier League itself has engaged in any unlawful activity.
Contractual debt and regulatory scrutiny
The court heard that the frozen money relates to payments made under the partnership agreement. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Sorare is reported to still owe the Premier League £7.5 million for the 2025 to 2026 season.
The investigation follows years of regulatory interest in the crypto-fantasy sports platform. The Gambling Commission has been scrutinising Sorare’s activities since October 2021 to determine whether its model constitutes unlicensed gambling. While Sorare has consistently maintained that its fantasy contests do not fall under gambling regulations, the NCA’s involvement signals a significant escalation in legal pressure.
Official records from the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary indicate that the Premier League was aware of the Gambling Commission’s enquiries as early as late 2021, yet proceeded with the commercial arrangement which has now seen millions of pounds entangled in the NCA probe.
The extension of the Account Freezing Order (AFO) ensures the funds remain held until at least January 2027, allowing investigators more time to trace the origin and movement of the capital. For fans who have purchased digital assets through such platforms, the corporate freeze does not currently affect the ability to trade individual collections, though the long-term status of these partnerships remains under review by several sporting bodies.
