Chelsea have announced Circle Internet Group as their new Principal Partner and official front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 season.
Circle and its USDC brand will appear across Chelsea’s men’s, women’s and Academy shirts, with the new logo making its first appearance when Xabi Alonso’s side host Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The agreement ends Chelsea’s latest spell without a permanent logo on the front of their shirt.
ReadChelsea explained earlier this week why Chelsea began the Premier League season without a front-of-shirt sponsor after the previous arrangement with IFS ended following the 2025/26 campaign.
Circle becomes Chelsea front-of-shirt sponsor
Circle is a financial technology company founded in 2013 and is best known for USDC, a digital currency designed to maintain its value against the US dollar.
Chelsea have now made the company one of their Principal Partners.
The agreement extends beyond Alonso’s first team, with Circle and USDC branding also appearing on the shirts worn by Chelsea Women and the Academy.
That gives the partnership considerable visibility during a season in which Chelsea Women will play every WSL home fixture at Stamford Bridge for the first time.
Chelsea president Jason Gannon said in the club’s announcement that the partnership forms part of the Blues’ push towards digital innovation, while Circle chief executive Jeremy Allaire highlighted Chelsea’s global audience.
The club’s commercial department has spent several months looking for a longer-term front-of-shirt agreement.
Chelsea were reportedly seeking between £45m and £50m per year earlier this summer, with ReadChelsea covering the club’s reduced asking price during its sponsor search.
No financial terms or length of the Circle agreement were disclosed in Chelsea’s announcement.
New Chelsea shirt sponsor debuts against Brighton
Supporters will not have to wait long to see the new-look shirt.
Circle’s branding will appear for the first time during Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Brighton, Chelsea’s first home league fixture of the campaign.
That represents another change to the 2026/27 Chelsea home shirt released earlier this summer, which began the competitive season without branding across its central sponsor position.
The deal also ends a familiar situation at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had not started a Premier League season with a front-of-shirt partner since their previous agreement with Three ended in 2023.
Shorter agreements with Infinite Athlete, DAMAC Properties and IFS subsequently filled the position at different stages before the shirt became sponsorless again at the beginning of this campaign.
Circle now takes over one of Chelsea’s most prominent commercial assets ahead of the club’s first Premier League game at Stamford Bridge under Alonso.
