“Covering where Fintechs and Sport collide, at the Fintech Sports Club we keep readers up to date with the latest in partnerships, sponsorships and the deepening relationship between the world's favourite sports and the game-changing innovation of financial technology.”

Last month PensionBee announced a new partnership with Saracens, adding rugby union to their portfolio of UK sport sponsorships.

Alongside their existing deals with Brentford FC and Wiltshire County Cricket Club, the rest of this season will see PensionBee on the sleeves of the men’s and women’s teams.

The partnership was introduced at Showdown VI, rugby’s annual showpiece event. In front of thousands of fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it was the ideal platform for launching a campaign towards a key demographic.

Announcing the deal, both parties spoke of their shared commitment to good causes and working together to achieve goals on and off the pitch. Jordan Lowe, Vice President of Partnerships at PensionBee, said:

“Our mission is to build retirement confidence so that everyone can enjoy a happy retirement. Saracens’ commitment to using rugby as a catalyst for positive social change perfectly complements this.”

Having seen huge success through their community work with Brentford FC, PensionBee are looking to expand on these initiatives with Saracens, who also have a history of engaging fans to bring positive social change.

PensionBee joins a growing number of fintechs disrupting the sponsorship hierarchy in rugby, which has usually been the playground of large traditional banks such as HSBC and RBS.

It’ll be interesting to see how fintech participation in rugby continues to develop in competition with some of the world’s biggest financial names.

By sponsoring the women’s team, PensionBee are positioning themselves at the front of a wave of new investment, with the women’s game having seen explosive growth since the 2025 World Cup.

Sponsorship revenues increased 330% over the 2021 edition, while a 60% rise in player participation ensures the sport only continue to grow.

Is this just one of many fintech partnerships to come for rugby union?

Last month, sources revealed that Revolut are in active sponsorship negotiations with FC Barcelona - aiming to replace their traditional banking partner CaixaBank.

This would be a huge scalp for the fintech, reflecting their ambitions for continued growth in Spain - which has become their 3rd biggest market.

It’s far from their only Spain related endeavour. Breaking new ground for the Fintech industry, Revolut announced they are opening a brick-and-mortar store in Barcelona.

It’s a first in the world of digital-only banking - but those expecting a traditional bank branch are set to be disappointed.

Staying coy on specifics like location and opening dates, the goal is said to be a ‘high-visibility and immersive space’.

Going beyond the pop-up activations of competitors Monzo and Starling, Revolut say the aim is to engage consumers more directly, increase accessibility and build trust through physical presence.

Will fintechs soon be a regular high-street presence, or is this merely a flash in the pan?

Last week saw one of the most dramatic nights in Fintech football history - as Division 3 Zilch delivered a shock for the ages and took home the Fintech and Crypto Cup.

With 36 teams from across the Fintech Football Championships and the Crypto Football League all competing to put their names on the trophy, it was corporate football of the highest level - with the entertainment factor to match.

On a scintillating finals night, we were down to the last 8 - and it was Division 1 heavyweights Worldpay who dispatched their opposition to line up against Zilch for the final.

It’s no exaggeration to say it was like Istanbul 2005 - 3-0 down with 2 minutes to go, Zilch were down and out - until they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Scoring 3 quick-fire goals, they took the game to extra time before setting off wild celebrations by scoring the golden goal. Breathless stuff.

Huge congratulations to Zilch, and a massive thank you to all teams for playing their part in some brilliant knockout football.