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

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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Midnite recruit Southampton fans to form ‘Tifo Committee’ ahead of crunch derby with Portsmouth

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Southampton sponsors Midnite have launched the football league’s first Tifo Committee, working with fans to create throughout the season
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Midnite’s Tifo Committee is comprised of Southampton supporter group members
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Midnite tease brand new tifo ahead of Sunday’s South-coast derby at St Mary’s
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The Committee was formed after Midnite’s tifo at the season opener against Wrexham AFC
Midnite – the fastest-growing UK sports betting and online casino operator and Official Training Kit partner of Southampton FC – has recruited a group of Saints fans to form a Tifo Committee ahead of this weekend’s South Coast derby against Portsmouth.
The Tifo Committee, which is the first of its kind within the league, will help Midnite deliver a series of iconic tifos throughout the season and add to the colour and atmosphere at Saints home games.
Composed of key members of various supporter groups associated with Southampton, Midnite have leant on the expertise of the people who know the football club better than anyone: the fans.
Members of the Tifo Committee include: Mike Smale (MatchDayVlogs), Alex Graham (TotalSaintsPodcast), Louise Burke (Southampton Fan Advisory Board) and Yasmin Wiseman (Southampton Fan Advisory Board).
Midnite were behind a new tifo unveiled against Wrexham on the opening day of the season and will unveil the new banner designed by the Tifo Committee before the derby against Portsmouth on Sunday.
Andrew Mook, Head of Brand Marketing at Midnite, said: “Tifos are a huge part of modern fan football culture, and we wanted to bring this to St Mary’s consistently throughout the season.
“To mark the opening day of the new season, we unveiled a tifo which paid homage to seven Saints legends and it was very well received by Saints fans. But we wanted to go bigger as the season progressed, while also leaning on the people who make the football club what it is – the fans.
“We have been collaborating with our Tifo Committee to hear what sort of designs will really captivate the fanbase, and we’re very excited to unveil our brand new tifo ahead of the Southampton vs Portsmouth fixture on Sunday.
“This is an iconic fixture in English football, and we wanted to bring the history of the fixture to life. We’re confident that the Saints fans will like what our Tifo Committee has come up with.
“We’re loving the start of our partnership with Southampton, and are dedicated to using our platform to bring fans closer to the action this season, with meaningful and impactful campaigns.”
Mike Smale, Founder of MatchDayVlogs, and member of the Midnite Tifo Committee, said: “Being part of the Midnite Tifo committee has been a privilege. To represent the fanbase and reflect the passion of our supporters is no small task. Time and again, Saints fans have shown they’re among the very best in the country – turning up, singing loud, and backing the team no matter the circumstances.
“We want these displays to be a reflection of the unity and pride that runs through this fanbase. The atmosphere at St Mary’s during these big games proves that when our supporters come together, we create something unforgettable – both on the pitch and in the stands.”
The post Midnite recruit Southampton fans to form ‘Tifo Committee’ ahead of crunch derby with Portsmouth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Playsar Joins Million Stars Partner Programme

Million Games is proud to announce its latest Million Stars partner Playsar. Playsar is an innovative studio focused on designing unique, interactive experiences where gameplay and storytelling come together.
Founded by three veterans with extensive backgrounds in design, development, and interactive entertainment, Playsar was established to bring highly visual, mechanics-led games to the market. The team has experience developing loyalty platforms, social and casual casino games, gamification tools, and original interactive gaming content.
“At Playsar, we are driven by passion to create games that stand out through design, storytelling, and playful experiences,” said Vladimir Stoyanov, CEO of Playsar. “Joining the Million Stars programme gives us the chance to focus on what we do best — the creative and game development process — while having the peace of mind that essential foundations such as technical infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and distribution are already in place.”
The Million Stars programme by Million Games provides independent studios with access to advanced development tools, platform support, compliance frameworks, and game publishing opportunities — allowing creators to focus on what matters most: developing exciting and entertaining game experiences for players.
“Playsar brings together creative ambition with a clear technical vision — exactly the kind of studio we built the Million Stars programme to support. Their design-led approach, combined with a deep understanding of player experience, makes them a strong addition to our partner portfolio. We’re looking forward to helping them scale quickly and bring their games to a global audience,” said Thomas Nimstad, CEO of Million Games.
Playsar’s first game is already in development and will be released under the Million Games label early 2026.
The post Playsar Joins Million Stars Partner Programme appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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QTech Games celebrates its 10-year anniversary

The preferred aggregator for emerging markets chalks up a decade in the vanguard of industry for game distribution across emerging markets
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator across emerging markets, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. It will continue to consolidate its position at the forefront of the industry for game distribution, bringing an increasing breadth of compelling new casino games to market, and ensuring the successful rollout of its QTech Hybrid product, which is already taking retail online in Africa and LatAm.
Since inception in 2015, QTech has gone through the gears of double-digit growth during its formative years to first become the preeminent aggregator platform in Asia (where it was a pioneer in successfully migrating and localising European content), before going on to dominate an eclectic range of emerging markets.
Now a fully-fledged international powerhouse – with a reach that extends from Asia and Africa, and on to CIS-facing territories, Europe (including its new tech-hub in Malaga, Spain; and offices in Malta) and Latin America – QTech Games has never lost sight of its simple mission statement: find the best online games in the world and distribute them to operators and players on a worldwide stage with the latest technology and a customer-centric focus.
Mobile-first content remains the central focus of the company, whose success and technical prowess are founded on a fully-owned and customised technical platform that delivers suppliers and operators the fastest, most seamless integration on the market. Through this platform, which has bolstered its global status as a definitive one-stop gaming shop (QTech ONE™), clients enjoy the best performance and customer support available, localised to every region across both emerging and more mature markets. QTech Games’ array of new tools and campaigns are constantly updated with premium content that ensures the best offering in the market.
Innovation has been another watchword at QTech Games, showcasing its commitment to corralling the most innovative tools with which to enhance player engagement. After launching a unique crypto-to-game currency feature, a series of network progressive jackpots and even multi-supplier crash-game tournaments, QTech is now even reimagining the retail environment with QTech Hybrid, a product which finally joins up the retail and digital-mobile experience by providing a retail solution that can be effortlessly transferred to mobile in any emerging market, enabling the customer to continue playing after leaving the retail environment.
This long list of advances, coupled to relentless company growth, has accordingly seen QTech Games scoop a host of accolades in recent history – from Best Innovation (SBWA+ Awards) and Best Online Casino Supplier (SBEA+ Awards) for West and East Africa in 2025, and Asia and the Philippines (SPiCE) in 2024/2025, to Most Innovative Partner at the 2025 Africa Gaming Expo, and an EGR B2B Highly Commended nod for Best Aggregator Platform, with further shortlistings at multiple Global Gaming and SBC Awards.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “Naturally, this 10th anniversary offers a perfect opportunity to reflect on and celebrate where we’ve come from, thanks to our ever-growing and always-diligent team, stewarded by a firm vision of future growth. However, it’s also a timely moment to define our course for the next 10 years and beyond. We’ve always been in it for the long run, with a dedication to our clients success that is founded on the energy of our company culture and breakthrough tech-stack. Just take our game lobby, QTech Play, which became a sectoral forerunner for state-of-the-art, AI-powered personalization and recommendation way back in 2018.
“We have more work ahead of us, of course, unlocking more untapped markets for diversified growth from all our regions. However, we have a special focus now on Africa and Latin America. I’m also excited about the launch of the QTech Hybrid and firmly believe we have a very interesting future ahead!”
The post QTech Games celebrates its 10-year anniversary appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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