As Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 to clinch their first-ever Champions League title, the club also hinted at a bold new direction for global fan engagement. Paris Saint-Germain, the French football powerhouse, has launched a groundbreaking initiative off the pitch — a digital fan platform called PSG World (psgworld.io), created in partnership with the largest Web3 digital media SaaS company RTB Digital Inc. The launch of psgworld.io, which went live just before the final, signals the club's latest move to strengthen fan relationships worldwide. ## Direct Fan Engagement Strategy Speaking during the Bitcoin Conference 2025 in a roundtable discussion with James Heckman, founder and CEO of RTB Digital, Pär Helgosson, Head of PSG Labs, laid out the French club's vision for psgworld.io. "We have all these fans running for us but they're not always in our platforms," Helgosson said. "The challenge is to build a direct channel — to capture more data, understand our fans better, and engage them in more relevant ways." With more than 90% of the club's fan base outside France, psgworld.io aims to provide a direct engagement channel, independent of social media giants and intermediaries. ## Global Innovation Hub: PSG Labs PSG Labs serves as the club's dedicated innovation engine, identifying and supporting high-potential startups, entrepreneurs, and tech partners to create transformative solutions. The initiative focuses on three key areas: **Fan Experience**: Enhancing how fans engage with PSG through immersive and digital-first innovations **Stadium & Training Ground**: Smart stadium technology and cutting-edge training facility enhancements **Health & Performance**: Leveraging sports science, AI, and wearable technology for player optimization The first international PSG Lab has been established in Doha, Qatar, serving as a gateway to emerging Middle Eastern technology and allowing PSG to partner with local and international startups. ## Web3 and Blockchain Integration PSG's commitment to Web3 goes beyond fan engagement platforms. The club has made several strategic moves: **Bitcoin Treasury**: PSG started buying Bitcoin in 2024 and has publicly stated they have not sold any holdings. "Last year we actually took some fiat reserves and allocated it to Bitcoin," Helgosson confirmed. **Blockchain Partnerships**: The club has partnered with Matchain as their Exclusive Digital Identity Partner, integrating decentralized identity (DID) and data sovereignty solutions to transform fan engagement and user data security. **Fan Tokens**: PSG operates fan tokens on the Chiliz blockchain and runs a validator node, demonstrating early Web3 adoption. ## Technology Partnerships and Platform Development The PSG World platform is powered by RTB Digital, offering content management, video features, social tools, gamification, branded apps, advertising technology, crypto payments, and secure blockchain storage. RTB's technology is already being used by major media partners including TheStreet, Miss World, and The Hockey News. Speaking alongside Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund, Helgosson emphasized PSG's global reach: "In large parts of the world, we're as big as we're in France, if not bigger." ## Strategic Vision: Beyond Traditional Sports "We dominated in social, online today. And we also want to dominate in on-chain and in all tokenized ways," Helgosson said. "We want to engage our fan base across what we do offline, online today — and on-chain tomorrow." PSG's approach stands out in the sports industry. While other clubs like Manchester City, FC Barcelona, and AC Milan have launched fan tokens, PSG is taking a different path by directly investing in Bitcoin and building comprehensive Web3 infrastructure. The club is also exploring investments in Bitcoin-native startups, potentially positioning PSG as a venture capital player in the crypto space with partnerships across Europe and the Middle East. ## Future of Sports Engagement With an average fan age under 34 and a tech-savvy global audience, PSG is positioning itself at the forefront of digital transformation in sports. The combination of direct fan platforms, blockchain technology, Bitcoin treasury strategy, and innovation labs represents a comprehensive approach to reimagining how sports clubs engage with their global communities. As PSG continues to expand its digital presence and Web3 capabilities, the club is pioneering a new model of sports engagement that could reshape the entire industry's approach to fan relationships and technological innovation. This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.