The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has announced a partnership with Avalanche to develop its own Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible blockchain, dubbed the “FIFA Blockchain.” This strategic move will see FIFA’s popular NFT platform, FIFA Collect, transition from its current homes on Algorand and Polygon to the new Avalanche-powered network, promising enhanced performance, scalability, and fan engagement.
FIFA Collect, launched in 2022 ahead of the Qatar World Cup, allows fans to purchase, trade, and engage with digital collectibles capturing iconic football moments. Initially minted on Algorand and later expanded to Polygon, the platform has minted over 1.5 million NFTs, with Q1 2025 sales alone surpassing the total volume of 2024. The migration to the FIFA Blockchain, set to begin no earlier than May 20, 2025, aims to deliver faster transactions, lower fees, and seamless integration with EVM-compatible wallets like MetaMask and WalletConnect. Algorand-based wallets, such as Pera and Defly, will no longer be supported post-migration.
Francesco Abbate, CEO of FIFA Collect and Modex, FIFA’s collaborator for its digital fan experience, emphasized the decision’s focus on performance, security, and scalability. “This move enhances our ability to deliver unique digital collectibles and immersive fan experiences, powered by Avalanche’s speed and EVM compatibility,” Abbate stated. The choice of Avalanche followed a rigorous evaluation of factors like transaction fees and customizability, aligning with FIFA’s long-term vision for its Web3 ecosystem.
The FIFA Blockchain, built as an Avalanche Layer 1 (L1) network, offers a customizable, high-throughput infrastructure that retains interoperability with the broader Avalanche ecosystem and Ethereum standards. John Nahas, Chief Business Officer at Ava Labs, highlighted the significance of the partnership: “FIFA’s decision to launch its L1 on Avalanche is a testament to our technology’s ability to support global-scale applications with speed, flexibility, and security.”
FIFA’s shift marks the end of its partnership with Algorand, its official blockchain partner since May 2022, and Polygon, adopted in 2023 to scale operations. While the exact reasons for the move remain undisclosed, the transition reflects FIFA’s strategic pivot toward greater control over its digital assets and alignment with industry trends favoring EVM-compatible chains for scalability and developer adoption.
No immediate action is required from FIFA Collect users, though those who exported NFTs must re-import them before May 20 to ensure seamless migration. USDC balances will remain available for withdrawal but not for purchases post-transition. FIFA has promised detailed instructions closer to the migration date and hinted at future Web3 initiatives, including potential fan tokens and interactive experiences, though specifics remain undisclosed.
