PayPal is NFL's Official Peer-to-Peer Partner

PayPal has been named the NFL's first-ever official peer-to-peer payments partner in a multi-year deal that positions the platform at the center of how fans move money around the game, from splitting tailgate costs and pooling ticket funds to settling up after the final whistle.

The announcement comes as the NFL completes a significant restructure of its financial services sponsorship portfolio, carving what was previously a single category into three distinct partnerships.

Visa, which had held the NFL's financial services rights for nearly 30 years, exited in March. American Express stepped in as official payments partner, US Bank signed on as official bank and wealth management sponsor, and PayPal now owns the peer-to-peer category.

For PayPal, the NFL deal extends a sports sponsorship strategy that already includes Liverpool FC, the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, naming rights to PayPal Park in San Jose, and Venmo-branded deals with the Big Ten and Big 12. Venmo can also be activated under the new NFL arrangement, though PayPal will lead.

The timing aligns with the league's international push: nine games are scheduled across four continents in 2026, and PayPal's cross-border capabilities across 110 countries are a functional part of the pitch. P2P volume across PayPal and Venmo grew 7% in 2025.

Activation launches at the NFL Draft, where five rookie endorsers including Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love and Penn State QB Drew Allar will appear across social and digital. A sweepstakes programme offering up to $1 million in prizes is planned across key league moments through the season.

The NFL has effectively decided that payments, banking, and peer-to-peer are distinct enough consumer behaviors to warrant separate category partners, each with its own activation rights and audience strategy.