Manchester City has partnered with Pengu, the mascot of the Pudgy Penguins brand, for a premium digital collectible and merchandise release. The announcement came from Pudgy Penguins on X. The collaboration aims to bring Pengu to millions of Manchester City fans around the world. At the same time, it introduces Manchester City to the growing Pudgy Penguins community.
The release includes high-end collectibles and branded merchandise. It is designed for an adult audience aged 18 and above. The official launch date is January 17.
Pudgy Penguins 🤝 @ManCity
We’re excited to announce that we will be collaborating with Man City on a premium collectible and merch release to bring Pengu to the millions of Man City fans around the world.
More information below. pic.twitter.com/aF2Ly1Tvdg
— Pudgy Penguins (@pudgypenguins) January 15, 2026
Pudgy Penguins stated that the goal is simple: to blend football culture with digital collectibles in a way that feels accessible and global. Manchester City boasts one of the largest fan bases in world football, while Pudgy Penguins brings strong recognition from the crypto and NFT space. By teaming up, both sides hope to reach new audiences without altering what fans already love about their respective brands.
From Web3 Culture to World Football
This partnership signifies the movement of crypto-native brands beyond their online communities. Pudgy Penguins has concentrated on cultivating a friendly and recognizable brand, even for individuals unfamiliar with cryptocurrency. The collaboration with Manchester City on this high-end collectible and merchandise drop is intended to introduce Pengu to their global fan base, while simultaneously exposing Manchester City to the broader Pudgy Penguins audience.
Working with Man City on this high-end collectible and merch drop will bring Pengu to their fans globally, while also introducing Man City to the wider Pudgy Penguins audience.
We are ecstatic to bring Pengu to the world of football alongside Man City on January 17th. pic.twitter.com/MQ3PnHkfF4
— Pudgy Penguins (@pudgypenguins) January 15, 2026
Manchester City provides a powerful platform with a global reach spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. This scale will help Pengu transition from digital screens into mainstream sports culture. The Pudgy Penguins team indicated that the drop will integrate digital collectibles with physical merchandise, with further details on pricing and access anticipated closer to the launch date. For those new to the concept, this deal is framed not around trading or tokens, but as a brand crossover that demonstrates how crypto projects leverage partnerships to increase awareness in everyday spheres like football.
NYSE Signals a Bigger Shift to Tokenized Assets
This news emerges concurrently with traditional finance's increasing examination of blockchain tools. The New York Stock Exchange recently announced it is developing a digital platform for trading tokenized securities, a system designed to support round-the-clock trading, instant settlement, and stablecoin funding.
Today, NYSE is proud to announce the development of a platform for trading and on-chain settlement of tokenized securities.
NYSE’s new digital platform will enable tokenized trading experiences, including 24/7 operations, instant settlement, orders sized in dollar amounts, and…
— NYSE 🏛 (@NYSE) January 19, 2026
The NYSE intends to integrate its existing Pillar trading engine with blockchain-based settlement systems, potentially enabling trades to settle more rapidly and efficiently than current methods. While this development is not directly linked to the Pengu collaboration, it underscores a broader trend of digital assets gaining traction within established institutions, moving beyond their startup origins.
Why This Matters
The partnership between Manchester City and Pengu positions the Pudgy Penguins mascot in front of a vast global audience. Concurrently, the NYSE's initiative highlights the expanding adoption of blockchain technology at the highest echelons of finance. Taken together, these developments suggest that crypto culture is gradually becoming integrated into the mainstream.