J.League signs deal with fantasy football game Sorare

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The J.League has signed a licensing deal with global fantasy game Sorare, allowing for the league, its clubs and players to appear in the game.

Sorare will begin auctioning digital player cards of the 600 players from the 18 clubs in the J. League.

Clubs from a number of leagues including Bundesliga and La Liga feature in the game. Some of those such as Juventus and West Ham United have also signed agreements to allow their club and players to appear in the game.

“Our ambition is to create a global fantasy football game with the top 20 leagues in the world,” Sorare CEO Nicolas Julia said to cryptocurrency news website Decrypt.

“The J.League is one of the best soccer leagues in Asia with great players such as Andres Iniesta, Isaac Cuenca, and legendary Kazuyoshi Mirua. We’re proud to have convinced J League to license their image rights on Ethereum’s blockchain.”

Sorare uses blockchain cards which are digital collectables. Users make a team with five players and then gain points based off the players performances in real life.

With support from Ubisoft there are four different leagues in which users can compete in with different rules and prizes – the All Star League, Under 23 League, Training League, and weekly challenges.

Sorare said that the player cards have value due to a limited number of cards. There are three levels of rareness for cards – unique, rare (100 copies) and super rare (10 copies).

“Sorare is designed to appeal to football fans’ love of showcasing their knowledge and expressing their fandom, globally,” Sorare said in a statement regarding their partnership.

“Japan is notoriously known for its great gaming culture. More so, soccer is now the 2nd biggest sport in Japan thanks to the Japanese Football Association’s ambitious development strategy. Many new promising players are coming from Japan such as Takumi Minamino, Takefusa Kubo,, or Hiroki Sakai.”

The J.League is not the first Asian league to be included in the game. In June, Sorare signed a deal with the K League. Sorare also announced plans for an in-game Champion Asia League with players from the two Asian leagues.

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South Canberra FC Breaks the Mold: Equity-Driven Model Earns ‘Club Changer’ Honour

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Image Credit: SCFC

South Canberra Football Club has been named Club Changer of the Month for April, in a recognition that reflects a broader shift across Australian football toward rewarding clubs that are actively dismantling the structural barriers limiting women’s access to the game.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup has just delivered record crowds and unprecedented visibility for women’s football in Australia, and the Club Changer program is now asking what comes next. Its decision to name South Canberra Football Club as Club Changer of the Month for April signals a clear shift in how the program defines contribution: away from participation numbers alone, and toward the equity frameworks that determine whether women stay in the game once they arrive.

South Canberra FC built that framework from the ground up. Established in 2021, the club set out to give women and female-identifying players a safe, inclusive environment to play football at any level. It runs entirely on volunteers, operates as a not-for-profit, and is governed by an all-female committee with 13 of its 14 coaches identifying as female.

 

Building the infrastructure of inclusion

In 2026, the club secured grant funding and put it to work immediately. Two coaches are completing their C Licence qualification, and ten coaches, players and community members have undertaken the Foundations of Football course, which directly tackles the cost and accessibility barriers that exclude women out of coaching pathways.

The club also commissioned a female-specific strength and conditioning program with sports physiotherapists ahead of the 2026 season, targeting injury prevention and explicitly supporting players returning after childbirth.

SCFC’s leadership team draws from LGBTIQ+ individuals, First Nations people and veterans, strengthening the club’s connection to the communities it was built to represent.

The Club Changer program is backing clubs that do this work- clubs that treat equity as infrastructure rather than aspiration. At a moment when Australian football is under pressure to turn its biggest-ever surge of women’s interest into something lasting, SCFC’s model offers a clear answer to the question of how.

How Husqvarna Is Helping Stadiums Cut Costs Without Cutting Quality

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Image Credit: Husqvarna

At a time when operational costs are rising across global sport, stadiums and football clubs are being forced to rethink one of their most overlooked expenses: turf maintenance.

From diesel consumption to labour hours, maintaining elite playing surfaces has traditionally been both resource-intensive and environmentally taxing. But new data emerging from venues like CBUS Super Stadium suggests a smarter, more sustainable model is already taking hold.

Leading that shift is Husqvarna, whose autonomous turf technology is quietly reshaping how professional venues manage their playing surfaces. Their product delivers measurable cost savings without compromising quality.

Cutting fuel consumption costs

At CBUS Super Stadium, the introduction of Husqvarna’s CEORA™ robotic mowing system has reduced diesel usage by approximately 20–30 litres per week. Over the course of a season, those savings compound into a significant reduction in both fuel spend and carbon emissions. This is particularly efficient for stadiums hosting regular fixtures and large-scale events.

CBUS Super Stadium General Manager Kristian Blundell said the robotic mower was a game-changer for the venue:

“This technology is not replacing staff but rather giving our grounds team the ability to do what they do best by helping to improve turf management processes, better manage fatigue and decrease our environmental footprint”

But the impact goes beyond fuel.

 

Time efficiency

By automating routine mowing, Husqvarna’s technology enables grounds teams to focus on higher-value maintenance tasks, from pitch recovery to detailed surface management. The result is not only greater operational efficiency but also improved turf consistency, which is an increasingly critical factor in elite football performance.

The benefits are being mirrored beyond stadium environments. At Oatlands Golf Club, Husqvarna’s autonomous mowing has delivered savings of up to 60 litres of fuel per week while freeing up staff for precision work. Quiet, round-the-clock operation also ensures surfaces are maintained without disrupting play—an advantage that translates directly to multi-use stadium settings.

Image Credit: Husqvarna

Importantly, Husqvarna’s lightweight robotic systems reduce the wear and tear typically caused by traditional heavy machinery. This not only protects the integrity of the playing surface but also reduces the need for costly repairs over time.

Football clubs navigating tight budgets at grassroots and semi-professional levels could benefit from such cost savings.

With rising energy prices, increasing sustainability expectations, and limited staffing resources, the ability to cut costs while improving performance is no longer optional. Solutions like Husqvarna’s CEORA™ are positioning clubs to operate more efficiently today, while preparing for a more environmentally accountable future.

As the sports industry continues to evolve, one thing is becoming clear: the next competitive edge may not just come from what happens on the pitch—but how it’s maintained.

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