FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, has announced the launch of an NFT platform for soccer-themed digital collectibles, with the 2022 World Cup just months away.
The new FIFA NFT platform will launch later this month
According to FIFA, the platform, FIFA+ Collect, will launch later this month and will feature “affordable, inclusive, and accessible” NFTs depicting notable soccer moments, art, and imagery.
As the World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in late November, unfolds, moments from the mega-event may be turned into digital collectibles.
NFTs are one-of-a-kind blockchain tokens that serve as proof of ownership for digital assets such as art, profile pictures, and video game items. FIFA+ Collect will be built on the Algorand blockchain, which is a proof-of-stake Ethereum and Solana alternative created by MIT professor Silvio Micali. Algorand was named FIFA’s official blockchain partner in May.
“Like sports memorabilia and stickers, this is an accessible opportunity for fans worldwide to engage with their favorite players, moments, and more on new platforms,” FIFA’s Chief Business Officer Romy Gai said in a statement.
More information on what collections will be included in the launch of FIFA+ Collect, as well as teasers of what types of NFTs will be released throughout the World Cup, will be released soon.
FIFA+, the organization’s platform for live soccer games, news, games, and original content, will host the NFT platform.
Algorand made headlines earlier this year for acquiring digital music sharing service Napster and partnering with LimeWire—which, while once a peer-to-peer music sharing service, recently launched a music-centric NFT marketplace featuring the works of Universal Music Group’s label artists.
This November, Algorand will not be the only crypto presence in Doha. Crypto.com announced in March that it would be the World Cup’s exclusive cryptocurrency exchange sponsor. However, the company’s ambitious sports partnership agenda may be coming to an end: earlier this week, it reportedly canceled a $495 million sponsorship deal with UEFA, the European Champions League.
