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Sorare raises a €40m Series A from Benchmark and Accel Partners to help fans own their football passion online

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Sorare, the digital collectible football platform, announces that it has received €40 million in Series A financing, led by Benchmark, with additional funding from Accel and new business angels. The angels include Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Vaynermedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk, football players Antoine Griezmann and Rio Ferdinand. The financing brings Sorare’s total funding to €48 million. The capital will be used to fuel the growth of the community, accelerate the hiring of a world-class team and launch a mobile application.

Fantastically real collectibles

Football is a common denominator for more than 4 billion people globally but today, fans feel further away from the game they love than ever before. As we spend more time online, the need for connection has significantly shifted to digital experiences. Sports card collectibles have long helped fans celebrate their love of the game, and now they can experience a whole new world online. Sorare is leading the new era of online football fandom, where fans can live football moments and true connections like never before.

The company’s mission is to build “the game within the game” and to give fans the platform to celebrate, share and own their football passion. Through tradable digital cards, Sorare is designing a collective fantasy football experience where you can manage your favorite players and hone your passion to earn prizes. Anyone, anywhere, can connect with the beautiful game on Sorare.

Growing across the globe

The company, which is already profitable, has experienced an explosive 52% month-on-month growth over the past 12 months, going from €50K worth of cards traded on the platform in January 2020 to €3.5M in January 2021 across 120 countries.

More than 120 football clubs have launched their digital cards on Sorare, with all European Champions actively participating in the growth of the game. Partnerships with Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus make Sorare the first digital collectible platform to offer cards from Europe’s top five league champions. The company’s ambition is to onboard the top 20 football leagues globally. This next-generation gaming experience allows leagues and clubs to expand their international brand by reaching an untapped audience of fans. Sorare is effectively opening up a new traceable and sustainable revenue stream for them.

Crypto’s next consumer application

Sorare collectibles are backed by blockchain technology to provide transparency and portability into other games. More importantly, the blockchain Ethereum enables the act of collecting in the digital space by creating digital scarcity through “non-fungible tokens” (NFT). It secures the passion of fans and creates a new level of trust and freedom for gamers who can freely trade their assets over the internet.

Sorare joins the ranks of culturally impactful companies and innovative brands in the Benchmark and Accel portfolio, including Twitter, Snap, Instagram and Spotify.

Nicolas Julia, CEO at Sorare explained: “Sorare was born from our love for football. We’re building a gaming experience fueled by passion where fans can connect with football and a global community. On Sorare, they can truly own the game. Today is a watershed moment – both for Sorare as a company and for our community – that will enable us to touch new markets and radically improve our product to become the game within the beautiful game.”

Peter Fenton, General Partner at Benchmark commented: “We’re thrilled to partner with Sorare as their lead Series A investor. The company combines the global passion for football collectibles with the excitement of real-world play in fantasy league tournaments. The founders early work in blockchain technology gave them the unique insight into a killer application for a new NFT – real players in real games creating enduring value for a digital artifact. Their explosive growth codifies the utility of these technologies in everyday life.”

Andrei Brasoveanu, Partner at Accel added: “Sitting at the intersection of fantasy football and sports collectibles, Sorare is revolutionizing the way fans across the world engage with and enjoy sports. In just a year, Sorare has built an incredible viral community and secured partnerships with more than 130 football clubs, including five European Champions. This impressive growth is a testament to the ambition and determination of Nicolas, Adrien and the entire Sorare team. We’re excited to join Sorare on the next stage of their journey and help build the leading digital sports collectibles platform worldwide!”

Christian Miele, Partner at e.ventures, commented: “We have been impressed by Nicolas’ and Adrien’s vision from day one. For the first time in human history a digital collectible holds a utility and can be used in a wide field of applications to attract soccer fanatics, collectors, and investors alike. This is why Sorare is best positioned to create one of the largest next-generation entertainment companies in the world.”

Gerard Piqué, Strategic Advisor at Sorare, explained: “As world football has shifted from local supporters to global fanbases, football fans are looking for new ways to be connected to the game, the players and other fans. Nicolas and the team have a unique gaming experience with real-world impact, bringing fantasy to reality. I’m looking forward to helping the team and the Sorare community connect with more football clubs and leagues.”

Sia Houchangnia, Partner at Seedcamp, concluded: “Sorare is a truly category-defining company and has the potential to become one of the biggest consumer tech success stories out of Europe. In less than 2 years since our pre-seed investment, the Sorare team has built from scratch a complex economy within an incredibly compelling game. Most importantly, Sorare can count on one of the most vibrant communities of early adopters we’ve ever seen. The growth has been astonishing and there’s an entire ecosystem of games and content being built around Sorare’s football cards. This is one of the most exciting businesses we’ve had the chance to work with and we are incredibly excited to have Benchmark and Accel joining the journey.”

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Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier

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Multi-year deal adds Laboratoires Gilbert’s new brand to jerseys across CS2, VALORANT, Rocket League and LoL teams ahead of a September 2026 launch.

Team Vitality has signed a multi-year partnership with FYZIO, naming the brand its new official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier. FYZIO is a sports nutrition and hydration brand developed by Laboratoires Gilbert, a French healthcare company established in 1904.

The partnership will put FYZIO branding on the left sleeve of Team Vitality’s official jerseys for several flagship rosters, including CS2, VALORANT (VCT), Rocket League, and League of Legends teams across the LEC, LFL, and Rising Bees. FYZIO will also support Team Vitality teams competing in Teamfight Tactics, Tekken, and Trackmania.

FYZIO is scheduled to launch in September 2026. Team Vitality said the brand will supply products intended to support areas including hydration, fatigue and stress reduction, concentration and memory, and sleep quality.

“We are delighted to announce this partnership with FYZIO and proud to support the launch of this ambitious new brand from the French group, Laboratoires Gilbert. By integrating its specialised nutrition products into our teams’ routines, we are further strengthening our commitment to high-performance excellence,” comments Vas Roberts, Co-CEO of Team Vitality.

“For more than 120 years, Laboratoires Gilbert has been developing solutions dedicated to health and well-being. With FYZIO, we are bringing this expertise to a new ambition: helping everyone achieve their goals, whatever they may be, through a modern, accessible, and responsible approach to sports nutrition. Our partnership with Team Vitality reflects this shared vision of progress, high standards, and sustainable performance. Your performance, our nature“, explains Cédric Batteur, Chairman & CEO, Laboratoires Gilbert.

The post Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026

Boomerang Partners have been shortlisted for two categories at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026

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Boomerang Partners, a rapidly growing affiliate gambling and betting marketing agency, was shortlisted in two categories at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026. It is one of the industry’s most prestigious awards for affiliate teams, operators, and B2B providers worldwide. The winners in nearly 40 categories will be determined by online voting and revealed on May 20.

Affiliate Program Of The Year

Boomerang Partners is nominated in the Affiliate Program of the Year category, reflecting its growth and position as a sports-focused affiliate program.

In nearly five years, the company has scaled to more than 3,000 affiliate partners and serves a clients’ portfolio of 10+ brands. Over the past year, the partner network grew by 10% YoY, while the expansion of clients’ product portfolio led to a nearly 1.5x increase in users.

The company’s strategy is built around deep sports expertise, in-house analytics, and a personalized approach to each partner. This is complemented by partner engagement initiatives such as the TIME TO WIN tournament and the Golden Boomerang Awards, a global affiliate tournament that brought together over 400 teams in the 2025 season. Its third season runs from April 3 to August 31, 2026. It is divided into three stages (each with its own main prize). The final and awards ceremony in 11 categories will take place in September during the SBC Summit in Lisbon.

Woman Leader Of The Year

Liliia Sudachenko, Affiliate Team Lead at Boomerang Partners, is nominated for the Woman Leader Of The Year award in recognition of her contribution to the company’s growth and her work with affiliate partners.

In her role, she focuses on building long-term relationships with affiliate partners, with a strong emphasis on a personalized approach – one of the core principles of Boomerang Partners’ strategy. Liliia is also actively involved in representing the company within the industry. In 2025, she became one of Boomerang Partners’ most active media contributors after the C-level team, taking part in multiple interviews with industry publications.

Liliia Sudachenko, Affiliate Team Lead at Boomerang Partners, commented: “It’s great to see our work recognized with these AffPapa iGaming Awards nominations. For us, it’s a reflection of the team’s effort and the way we build relationships with our partners. We invest a lot in analytics, partner support, and the development of initiatives that help affiliates grow, and it’s good to see that this approach resonates. At the same time, we have ambitious goals ahead and will continue to scale and strengthen our position as a sports-focused affiliate program.”

The official AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026 ceremony will take place on May 20. The event will be held at the Real Casino de Madrid.

About Boomerang

Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global marketing agency offering a wide range of services. Boomerang Partners is an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards – a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. Partners of the Agency launched six new products in 2024-2025, contributing to a nearly 1.5-fold increase in product users.

The Agency’s clients’ portfolio contains 10+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide incentive programs and 24/7 multilingual support.

The post Boomerang Partners have been shortlisted for two categories at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Vera & John International goes live with Cubeia Originals Studio games

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Sweden-based supplier Cubeia integrates its proprietary, brandable Originals content into the operator’s offering.

Vera & John International has gone live with Cubeia’s Originals Studio games, integrating the Sweden-based supplier’s proprietary titles into its player offering.

Cubeia said the launch gives the operator access to fully brandable in-house games aimed at supporting engagement and retention. The supplier positioned the Originals portfolio around “provably fair mechanics, gamification elements, and community-driven gameplay,” and said it includes crash and instant-win formats.

Tobias Fogelberg, Chief Commercial Officer at Cubeia, said: “We’re proud to see Vera & John International go live with our Originals. This is exactly what we’ve been building towards—giving operators something that feels truly their own, not just another catalogue of the same games everyone else has.

“The flexibility and branding possibilities are a big part of it, but it’s also about creating games that players actually want to come back to. That’s where Originals make a real difference.”

Cubeia also linked the rollout to its wider product stack, including its Cubeia Nano platform, which it said is designed to give operators “full control” and scalability. The company added it will continue investing in Originals Studio and plans to expand the portfolio with additional titles and features.

The post Vera & John International goes live with Cubeia Originals Studio games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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