Fintech is making its biggest move into soccer yet.
Chime, the California-based digital banking platform, has signed on as MLS's retail banking, credit card, and debit card partner — its first major deal in professional soccer. The partnership launches just days before the 2026 MLS season kicks off on February 21.
Deal Details
The deal positions Chime as:
- Presenting partner and jersey branding rights holder for the MLS All-Star Game (July 23)
- Season-long integration across MLS platforms, live events, and fan experiences
- National contextual advertising
- Co-branded content series featuring behind-the-scenes stories on MLS players
- Branding across in-stadium signage
Chime joins an MLS sponsor roster that includes Audi, Walmart, Polymarket, Continental Tres, Corpay, and Adidas.
Why Fintech Is Targeting Soccer
The banking category is particularly interesting: MLS fans skew younger and more diverse than most major league audiences — exactly the demographic fintech companies are fighting to acquire.
For Chime, which has built its brand on fee-free banking and early direct deposit, MLS offers a cultural entry point that traditional sports advertising can't match. Soccer fans are mobile-first, digitally native, and underserved by legacy banks.
The Timing Is Perfect
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to North America this summer, MLS is about to experience its biggest visibility spike in history. Brands that lock in now — before the World Cup halo effect kicks in — are buying at pre-surge pricing.
Chime's All-Star Game jersey branding is smart positioning: it's the league's showcase event, guaranteed national broadcast attention, and the kind of cultural moment that drives social media engagement.
For other fintech companies watching from the sideline: the banking category in MLS was wide open until today. That window just closed.
