- FIFA has turned to NFTs to bolster fan engagement for the 2023 Club World Cup.
- Holders of the NFTs will get a chance to win highly coveted tournament tickets.
- The NFTs will also offer records of tournament moments and memorabilia.
The use of collectibles to bolster fan engagement and generate revenue is nothing new in the sporting world. However, the advent of NFTs has promised to revolutionize these efforts, and sports teams, leagues, and federations are already taking advantage.
In the latest instance, as part of a new partnership, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has revealed plans to launch an NFT collection for the 2023 Club World Cup that will also offer users a shot at tickets for the 2026 World Cup Final.
World Cup Final Tickets Up for Grabs in Rare NFT Launch
In a press release on Monday, December 11, FIFA announced a collaboration with blockchain solution firm Modex to take the reins of its digital collectible platform FIFA+ Collect. As part of the announcement, the soccer federation also disclosed the launch of an NFT collection for the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup as a result of this collaboration.
The collection, slated to drop on December 15, will feature 100 collectibles on the FIFA+ Collect platform, with the rarest of them offering users a chance to win tickets to the 2026 World Cup Final.
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Those who miss the limited drop will get an opportunity to get their hands on memorabilia from the Club World Cup, as FIFA and Modex intend to have an additional launch on the Polygon network.
FIFA Memorabilia Via Polygon NFTs
Per the Monday announcement, FIFA will release 900 other collectibles on the Polygon network that will be available for purchase on OpenSea on December 19. These NFTs will feature moments and memorabilia from the tournament.
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FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai expressed excitement at the launch of the collection, tipping it to bolster fan engagement.
“These new launches, both this year and beyond, will provide football fans with a unique and innovative way to connect with the sport, while also contributing to the growth of the digital collectibles market,” he noted.
The 2023 Club World will be hosted in Saudi Arabia and will feature the champions of the six federations under FIFA. The tournament is set to kick off with a match between Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad and Oceania Football Confederation champions Auckland City FC at 18:00 UTC on Tuesday, December 12.
On the Flipside
- Previous FIFA NFT drops had occurred on the Algorand network.
- NFT adoption remains low compared to the previous bull market cycle.
Why This Matters
FIFA is the largest soccer federation in the world. The federation’s decision to integrate NFTs in efforts to foster fan engagement further underlines the potential of the technology to revolutionize the collectibles market.
Read this for more on the growing use of NFTs for sports collectibles:
FIBA Delivers Exclusive World Cup Benefits to Fans with Polygon
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