Why FIFA is building its own blockchain, and what it means for 5 billion fans

What is the FIFA blockchain?

In May 2025, FIFA announced the motorboat of a dedicated layer-1 blockchain utilizing Avalanche’s Subnet technology. 

This modulation marks a departure from its erstwhile usage of the Algorand blockchain, which had powered FIFA’s archetypal ventures into Web3, including the FIFA Collect NFT marketplace launched up of the 2023 Club World Cup successful Saudi Arabia. 

The caller blockchain is designed to service arsenic the caller infrastructure for FIFA’s blockchain-based products, specified arsenic integer collectibles and games, offering enhanced performance, scalability and idiosyncratic experience.

Did you know? FIFA, the planetary governing assemblage of football, was founded connected May 21, 1904, successful Paris by 7 European nations. Today, it boasts 211 subordinate associations — much than the United Nations — and is headquartered successful Zürich, Switzerland.

What’s FIFA’s Web3 strategy?

There are aggregate reasons down FIFA’s pivot from Algorand to gathering its ain blockchain, astir of which travel down to control, scalability and ecosystem integration.

Control implicit infrastructure

Under its woody with Algorand, FIFA relied connected an outer protocol to powerfulness its integer collectibles. While Algorand offered energy-efficient, low-cost transactions, the ecosystem remained comparatively isolated. 

FIFA’s ain blockchain gives it afloat sovereignty implicit the protocol layer, enabling it to determine however assets are issued, however games integrate and however users interact with its products without being babelike connected third-party roadmap decisions.

Scalability for planetary instrumentality events

FIFA serves a fanbase estimated astatine implicit 5 cardinal radical globally, according to the organization’s ain figures published aft the 2022 World Cup. During that tourney alone, FIFA reported much than 1.5 cardinal viewers for the last match. 

Blockchain infrastructure needs to grip utmost surges successful request during specified events. Avalanche’s Subnet architecture allows FIFA to standard independently from the broader Avalanche network, providing customizable throughput and governance suited to event-based spikes successful idiosyncratic activity.

Better developer and idiosyncratic compatibility

Unlike Algorand, which is not EVM-compatible, Avalanche Subnets enactment the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) by default. 

This allows FIFA’s blockchain to interact natively with the broader Ethereum ecosystem; developers tin larboard implicit astute contracts much easily, and users tin prosecute utilizing modular wallets similar MetaMask, Trust Wallet and others. 

This reduces onboarding friction and opens the doorway to broader engagement from the Web3 community.

Interoperability with different chains

Avalanche has been positioning its Subnet exertion arsenic a modular solution for enterprises and institutions gathering their ain chains that inactive request cross-chain interoperability. This aligns with FIFA’s stated involvement successful expanding beyond collectibles into Web3 gaming and instrumentality information tools that interact with aggregate platforms.

Did You Know? Avalanche Subnets, similar the 1 FIFA is gathering on, are designed for precocious scalability. While Avalanche’s main C-Chain tin grip astir 4,500 transactions per 2nd (TPS), Subnets tin beryllium tailored to execute adjacent higher throughput based connected circumstantial exertion needs.

More connected the FIFA crypto level — Blockchain successful sports

The FIFA blockchain is being built arsenic a dedicated Subnet, a customizable blockchain that operates independently portion inactive benefiting from Avalanche’s statement exemplary and infrastructure. 

Subnets tin person their ain tokenomics, validator sets and smart declaration logic. FIFA’s EVM compatibility means developers tin physique decentralized applications (DApps) utilizing Solidity, and FIFA tin integrate with the broader decentralized concern and NFT ecosystems if it chooses to.

In applicable terms, this setup provides FIFA with a blend of scalability, show and flexibility that general-purpose chains haven’t yet matched for large-scale sports applications. 

Users volition present request to link via EVM-compatible wallets, arsenic FIFA is discontinuing enactment for Algorand-based wallet systems utilized successful earlier phases of FIFA Collect

Blockchain for shot fans

Now that FIFA’s dedicated blockchain is live, fans are starting to spot the archetypal question of products and experiences built connected it — from upgraded integer collectibles to blockchain-powered games and token-based instrumentality platforms. 

FIFA integer collectibles

FIFA Collect, the organization’s authoritative integer collectibles platform, has afloat transitioned from Algorand to the caller Avalanche-based blockchain arsenic of June 2025. On the upgraded platform, fans tin inactive bargain and commercialized highlights from FIFA tournaments arsenic NFTs, but present immoderate of those NFTs travel with added utility.

For example, definite items present connection real-world perks, specified arsenic tickets to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 oregon exclusive airdrops tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026. FIFA Collect has besides go easier to usage acknowledgment to amended wallet integration and faster transaction speeds, with Web3 developer Modex present overseeing the platform’s ongoing development.

A mobile crippled with existent integer ownership

FIFA is besides entering blockchain gaming done a caller mobile rubric called FIFA Rivals, developed with Mythical Games and Bacon Games. The crippled is acceptable to motorboat globally successful June 2025 and is being timed with the Club World Cup.

Unlike accepted shot games, FIFA Rivals leans into arcade-style enactment and phantasy gameplay. Players volition physique and customize teams, vie successful unrecorded matches, and cod integer subordinate cards, each of which beryllium arsenic NFTs. These in-game items are tradable connected the Mythos blockchain, meaning fans really ain what they gain oregon bargain and tin instrumentality those assets beyond the crippled environment.

A token to unite planetary fans

FIFA’s blockchain besides opens the doorway to caller fan-driven ecosystems. One of the astir notable is 0xFútbol, a assemblage task built connected Avalanche that’s trying to bring fans person to the crippled done integer ownership and interactive participation.

Launched successful June 2025, the level is centered astir the FUTBOL token, which acts arsenic a unifying plus crossed aggregate apps and games. Fans tin usage the token successful prediction markets, prosecute successful tournament-themed quests, and gain rewards for their participation. The semipermanent extremity is to springiness fans much of a involvement successful the athletics itself. 

Web3 instrumentality engagement FIFA

FIFA’s determination to its ain EVM-compatible blockchain, built connected Avalanche, marks a important displacement successful however fans worldwide tin prosecute with the sport.

Global wallet onboarding

By adopting EVM compatibility, FIFA enables fans to usage wide recognized wallets similar MetaMask and WalletConnect. 

This modulation simplifies entree for users, peculiarly successful emerging markets, by removing the request for specialized wallets antecedently required connected platforms similar Algorand. As a result, fans tin much easy enactment successful integer collectibles, games and different blockchain-based experiences. 

From spectators to participants

As touched upon, the caller blockchain infrastructure allows fans to determination beyond passive viewership. Through platforms similar FIFA Collect and games specified arsenic FIFA Rivals, supporters tin ain integer assets, gain rewards, and prosecute successful interactive experiences. 

Additionally, projects similar 0xFútbol fto fans prosecute with the crippled arsenic progressive participants, each with a fiscal stake, a dependable successful decisions and a much immersive wide experience.

Tokenized fandom astatine scale

FIFA’s blockchain sets the instauration for a planetary marketplace of integer rights and loyalty programs. Fans whitethorn summation entree to exclusive content, matchday experiences and different benefits tied to their integer engagement. 

FIFA’s integration of blockchain exertion represents a measurement toward a much connected and participatory aboriginal for shot fans worldwide.