United launch digital fantasy football game

Supporters can now begin collecting the trading cards, which feature all first-team players from the men’s squad in Classic, Rare, and Ultra-Rare editions. Each card is uniquely hand-drawn and will be dynamically updated with real-time stats throughout the season.

In addition, those cards can be used to build a five-man squad to earn points in our brand-new Web3 fantasy football game, the first of its kind to be created for a Premier League club using the Tezos Blockchain.

Fantasy United allows supporters to compete against friends through mini-leagues, where your Player Trading Cards will earn you in-game points across all competitions - starting with our Premier League opener against Fulham on 16 August - based on the real-life actions of Manchester United players, including goals, assists, tackles, and saves. 

Over the course of the season, we will keep you up to date with who the most selected players are across the community, and follow the strategies of both United legends and fantasy football experts in regular head-to-head battles. You will also have the chance to pit your wits directly against several former Reds in our legends leagues.

Devil-holders (those who own the club’s original digital collection) have had early access to Player Trading Cards since Monday, and all fans can now begin collecting from today (31 July). 

Player Trading Cards are sold in packs of seven for £3, and opening these will give you the chance to obtain all members of Erik ten Hag’s senior squad, including new summer signings Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro.

The collaboration between the Tezos Ecosystem and Manchester United has seen great success in recent years, launching campaigns such as ‘The Devils’, the club’s original digital collection that was released in 2022 and featured 7,777 unique characters inspired by United’s history, which were all snapped up within just a few days.

Alongside this, fans have been able to claim a free hand-drawn digital collectible at all men’s and women’s home games since the start of the 2023/24 season, generating over 750k claims. 

Through these initiatives, our supporters have formed a growing community with nearly 100,000 members in the Discord channel and here they are able to interact, learn about new drops and get access to live town halls and Q&As with the club.

Ronan Joyce, director of digital innovation at Manchester United, said: “Player Trading Cards allows United fans to collect the whole men’s first team squad, to see those collectibles evolve throughout the season as games are played and goals are scored, and have the ability to play those cards in a exciting fantasy football game. 

“It’s a club-first, it means you can compete against your mates all year long, and it adds even more drama and excitement to watching the Reds at Old Trafford and on the road this season.”

Sunil Singhvi, head of culture at Trilitech, Tezos R&D Hub, added: “Player Trading Cards and Fantasy United is an innovative use of blockchain technology to enable United fans to have a deeper connection with their favourite club. Through dynamically updating collectibles, supporters will be able to cheer on their heroes and watch how the season develops.”

“Meanwhile, they will be able to showcase their managerial prowess by selecting their squad in Fantasy United. Developed by our in-house team, it's a fun and interactive way for fans to get closer to the game and the players of Manchester United.”

You can find out more about the newly launched Player Trading Cards and Fantasy United here.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

Manchester United’s officially licensed Digital Collectibles, powered by Tezos and brought to you by Tezos ecosystem companies, are a form of cryptoasset. Manchester United Digital Collectibles have been issued as a collectible item and not an investment. However, it is important that you keep in mind that: 

1. Manchester United Digital Collectibles are not currently regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK and are not covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; 
2. the value of Manchester United Digital Collectibles is variable and can go down as well as up;
3. tax may be payable on any profits made on the sale of Manchester United Digital Collectibles; and
4. for those Digital Collectibles which require purchase, the decision to purchase Manchester United Digital Collectibles requires careful thought and consideration. You should seek independent financial advice if you are in doubt. You should not purchase any cryptoassets if you do not fully understand the nature of your purchase and the risks involved.