FIFA, the Federation Internationale de Football Association, has made a significant move in the world of blockchain technology by selecting Avalanche to power its dedicated blockchain network for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and digital fan engagement. The announcement was made on May 22, marking a new phase in FIFA's exploration of blockchain technology.
The decision to utilize Avalanche's layer-1 (L1) blockchain for FIFA's network is driven by the network's scalability-focused infrastructure, which aims to cater to FIFA's massive fan base of over five billion people worldwide. This move follows FIFA's recent announcement of plans to launch a new network for its blockchain-based collectibles, signaling the organization's commitment to embracing cutting-edge technology to enhance fan experiences.
A key feature of Avalanche's blockchain network that appealed to FIFA is its AvaCloud's Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility. This compatibility will facilitate seamless integration with decentralized wallets and applications, allowing FIFA to offer unique digital collectibles and immersive fan experiences to its global audience.
Francesco Abbate, CEO of Modex and FIFA Collect, highlighted the importance of Avalanche's technology in enabling FIFA to deliver enhanced digital offerings. Abbate emphasized that the decision to partner with Avalanche was based on a thorough analysis of factors such as performance, security, transaction fees, customizability, and scalability.
As part of the rollout, FIFA will migrate its existing NFT marketplace and NFT collection, FIFA Collect, to the new Avalanche-powered FIFA Blockchain. This migration will result in the discontinuation of support for external Algorand-based wallets, with users being directed to connect to FIFA Collect via MetaMask or other EVM wallets that support WalletConnect.
While FIFA has not yet disclosed all its future plans and business cases for the blockchain network, the organization's collaboration with blockchain firm Modex for its NFT collection ahead of the 2023 Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia indicates a strong commitment to leveraging blockchain technology for innovative fan engagement initiatives.
In addition to its blockchain endeavors, FIFA has also ventured into the world of blockchain gaming, partnering with Mythical Games in November 2024 to launch FIFA Rivals, a free-to-play soccer game for iOS and Android users. These strategic moves position FIFA as a pioneer in leveraging blockchain technology to enhance fan engagement and offer unique digital experiences to its global audience.
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