Inside crypto’s multiyear sponsorship rush into soccer

How the pandemic, crypto boom and soccer’s hunt for new revenue helped drive a wave of sponsorship deals across the sport.

During the pandemic, soccer clubs needed money. Crypto companies had plenty of it — and wanted something the sport could offer: visibility, recognition and credibility. What followed was a sponsorship boom that put crypto brands on shirts, around stadiums and alongside some of the biggest clubs in the game. 

CNBC's Tom Chitty explores how soccer and crypto became unlikely business partners, why the relationship took off so quickly and why, for a time, it looked like a perfect match. 

This is the first installment in The Score's three-part "Crypto FC" series. Don't miss part two, where we explore how soccer's crypto boom unravelled and part three, which asks what survives after the hype.