FIFA has announced the launch of its own blockchain to support collectible NFTs. The FIFA Blockchain project is expected to be Ethereum-compatible and will replace the current infrastructure based on Algorand. The migration of the FIFA Collect collection will begin no earlier than May 20.
Blockchain Transition and End of Algorand Support
According to the official statement, the FIFA Blockchain network is specifically designed to serve the digital FIFA Collect collection and will be compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). At launch, the platform promises enhanced performance, scalability, and support for additional features in the future.
The NFT collection will be moved from the Algorand blockchain to the new network. Users are not required to take any action at this time. FIFA has pledged to provide detailed instructions closer to the start of the migration, which will not occur before May 20.
Changes for NFT Holders
Once the migration is complete, Algorand-based NFT wallets such as Pera and Defly will no longer be supported. Instead, users will be able to connect to FIFA Collect through MetaMask and other EVM-compatible wallets using WalletConnect.
Tokens listed on the FIFA Collect marketplace will automatically appear on the new platform unless they are delisted by owners in advance. FIFA emphasized that the exact migration date will be announced at a later time.
Development of FIFA’s Digital Assets
The FIFA Collect NFT platform was launched ahead of the 2023 Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia with the involvement of blockchain company Modex. This marked the federation’s first step toward digital collecting on the blockchain.
In November 2024, FIFA partnered with Mythical Games to launch the mobile game FIFA Rivals — a football simulator featuring club management elements and online competitions. The game will be available on iOS and Android and is scheduled for full release in summer 2025, with a prerelease in May.
According to Mythical Games CEO John Linden, FIFA Rivals could attract over 100 million players. For comparison, his previous project NFL Rivals gathered over 6 million users despite a more niche target audience.
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