The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced on May 22 that it has chosen Avalanche to support its dedicated blockchain network focused on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and digital fan engagement. FIFA’s layer-1 (L1) blockchain will utilize Avalanche’s scalability-optimized infrastructure to serve its global fanbase of five billion people. This decision follows FIFA’s announcement nearly a month prior regarding plans to introduce a new blockchain network for its collectible-based projects. Avalanche’s AvaCloud, with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility, will facilitate seamless integration with decentralized wallets and applications. According to Francesco Abbate, CEO of Modex and FIFA Collect, the collaboration will allow FIFA to offer “unique digital collectibles and immersive fan experiences, powered by the speed, scalability, and EVM compatibility” of Avalanche’s technology. Abbate explained in a May 22 statement shared with Cointelegraph that the choice was made after a thorough evaluation of crucial factors such as performance, security, transaction costs, customization, and scalability. As part of this transition, FIFA is migrating its NFT marketplace and collection, FIFA Collect, onto the Avalanche-powered FIFA Blockchain.

While the organization hinted that further initiatives and business models are in development, these plans have not yet been publicly revealed. Once the migration is complete, support for external Algorand-based wallets like Pera and Defly will be discontinued. Users will instead access FIFA Collect through MetaMask or other EVM-compatible wallets supporting WalletConnect. FIFA initially launched its NFT collection ahead of the 2023 Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, collaborating with blockchain company Modex. Additionally, in November 2024, FIFA teamed up with blockchain gaming developer Mythical Games to release FIFA Rivals, a free-to-play soccer game available on iOS and Android platforms.