Crypto Clubs: The Blockchain Experiments in European Lower Leagues
When Crawley Town let fans vote on a transfer decision using NFTs in 2022, eyebrows were raised across the football world. To some, it was a revolutionary new model of supporter ownership powered by blockchain. To others, it looked like a tech gimmick and a novelty more at home in Silicon Valley than in League Two.
In recent years, as financial pressures have mounted, several lower-league clubs have turned to blockchain technology to find new revenue streams and engage a global audience. Cryptocurrency sponsorships, NFT fan tokens and even crypto-funded player signings began appearing across the football pyramid.
At the centre of this movement were two clubs with very different identities - DUX Internacional de Madrid, a Spanish side with roots in esports, and Crawley Town FC, a traditional English club swept into the Web3 era by American crypto entrepreneurs.
DUX Internacional: Crypto’s First Signing
In January 2021, Spanish third-tier side DUX Internacional de Madrid made headlines when they became the first professional club in Spain to sign a player using cryptocurrency. The arrival of La Liga striker David Barral, funded via the crypto platform Criptan, was hailed as the intersection of digital finance and professional football.
DUX, co-owned by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias, had always positioned itself as a content-first club. The Spanish side bridges football, esports and influencer culture. Their experiment with crypto was part of a wider strategy to appeal to a younger and digitally native fan base.
By 2024, the club had scaled back its crypto activities, quietly re-focusing on on-pitch performance and traditional football operations. While the headlines faded, the legacy of DUX’s digital-first approach lives on in how newer clubs think about branding and fan engagement.
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Crawley Town: NFTs and Promotion
If DUX were crypto’s pioneers in Spain, Crawley Town FC became its most visible test case in England.
In April 2022, the club was purchased by WAGMI United, a consortium of American investors with backgrounds in cryptocurrency, NFTs and tech startups. They have a bold vision to build the first ‘Web3 football club’, where fans influence the team.
Soon after, NFT tokens were introduced that gave holders a say in key club decisions, including transfer strategy. In one instance, NFT owners voted to strengthen the midfield which led to the signing of Jayden Davis. WAGMI also partnered with Adidas to release a limited-edition NFT-only kit.
However, the club’s on-field form wobbled. A string of managerial changes and inconsistent performances left many questioning whether the digital experiment was distracting from football itself.
Crawley found their footing again in January 2023 under manager Scott Lindsey. The team climbed the table and secured promotion to League One in May 2024. Shortly after, co-chairman Preston Johnson stepped down from his day-to-day role, and the club began quietly reducing its reliance on blockchain initiatives, instead returning focus to traditional football infrastructure.
Blockchain & Football: The Bigger Picture
The idea that blockchain would revolutionise football hasn’t disappeared, but it has certainly evolved.
Initially seen as a fix-all solution for engagement and revenue, the reality proved more complex. Token voting sparked debates about governance and competitive integrity. The NFT market cooled, and the volatility and unregulated nature of cryptocurrencies made them an unreliable financial base.
Still, new approaches are emerging. One notable example is Real Bedford FC, in the eighth division of English football, is making big moves in crypto. In 2024, Bitcoin entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss invested $4.5 million into the club, backing chairman and Bitcoin advocate Peter McCormack. The funds are being used to improve facilities, develop a youth academy and fuel ambitions of climbing the football pyramid.
Meanwhile, at the top of the game, crypto has gone mainstream in sponsorship. In the 2024/25 season, 14 out of 20 Premier League clubs entered commercial partnerships with crypto brands. Tottenham Hotspur signed a sleeve deal with Kraken, while Nottingham Forest partnered with Floki. With gambling sponsorships increasingly restricted and set to be banned by 2026, crypto has stepped in as a lucrative – but controversial - alternative.
Whether crypto will ultimately reshape football remains uncertain. But its fingerprints are already on the game
By Amelie Claydon
Check out Amelie’s website The Matchday Post
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