Arsenal’s fan token and the business of crypto in football as Gunners face Girona

Arsenal FC travels to Girona for a preseason friendly on August 1, 2026, kicking off at 7pm BST at Estadi Montilivi. The match is live on Arsenal.com and the official club app, making it the first open preseason fixture of the 2026 campaign. Two clubs, two very different crypto strategies Arsenal has had a formal relationship with fan token platform Socios.com since 2021, when it launched the Arsenal Fan Token, ticker AFC, on the Chiliz blockchain. The token gives holders access to club polls, exclusive experiences, and other engagement perks. That price currently sits at approximately $0.16. Arsenal’s Premier League title win in 2026 lifted sentiment around the token, as fans and speculators alike took renewed interest. Girona, by contrast, has taken a more traditional sponsorship path. The Spanish club’s recent commercial partnerships include forex and CFD broker Axi and cybersecurity firm WatchGuard. No fan token, no Chiliz integration, no digital asset play in sight. Why fan token economics matter beyond the final score When Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy, AFC token holders saw increased activity in secondary markets. When a team underperforms, the token tends to foll...