The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is making a significant transition in its journey to adopt blockchain technology, preparing to launch FIFA Blockchain – a completely new platform compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), fully replacing the current FIFA Collect system. This upgrade is expected to expand the potential for developing Web3 products in the sports field while providing a more flexible and modern experience for users.
FIFA Blockchain: A comprehensive upgrade for FIFA Collect
According to official information from #FIFA Collect, the transition to FIFA Blockchain will begin on May 20, 2025. During this period, all user data and digital assets (NFTs) will be automatically moved to the new blockchain, ensuring a seamless experience and ownership.
The launch of an EVM-compatible blockchain allows FIFA to escape the technical limitations of the previous Algorand ecosystem (the platform on which FIFA Collect was operating). This enables FIFA to better integrate with popular Web3 wallets like MetaMask or any wallet that supports WalletConnect, replacing Pera and Defly – two wallets that operated within the Algorand system but will no longer be supported after the upgrade.
No manual actions required – Users are automatically transitioned
FIFA confirms that users do not need to take any action during the transition process. The system will operate automatically:
Transfer all purchased NFTs to the new blockchain platform.
Keep assets in the FIFA Collect account.
Relist NFTs that are for sale, unless the user has delisted them prior to the transition.
Additionally, FIFA notes that the entire upgrade process will cause a temporary disruption of about 10 hours, and users will receive specific notifications before the system proceeds with the transition.
What changes after the upgrade?
FIFA's decision to build its own blockchain shows that this organization wants to better control the Web3 infrastructure they are implementing, thereby supporting more advanced features in the future. Some notable changes after transitioning to FIFA Blockchain:
Higher compatibility: With the EVM standard, FIFA Blockchain will easily integrate into the vast Ethereum ecosystem – where thousands of decentralized applications (dApps) and Web3 wallets are currently operating.
Elimination of Algorand wallets: Users will no longer be able to continue using Pera and Defly wallets.
Restrictions on using USDC: Users can withdraw $USDC after the upgrade process is completed, but cannot use USDC for direct payments on the new platform after the transition date.
This is considered a necessary step for FIFA's NFT system to break free from its isolated limitations and easily expand into more popular Web3 markets in the future.
The move aligns with a broader Web3 strategy
The emergence of FIFA Blockchain comes at a time when FIFA is expanding its digital footprint in the Web3 gaming sector. Notably, FIFA Rivals – a new game developed in collaboration with Mythical Games studio – is expected to launch in the summer of 2025.
FIFA Rivals allows players to manage their own teams and compete against others. The combination of blockchain with sports and entertainment elements is considered a key strategy to expand FIFA's influence among youth and the tech community.
With the new EVM-compatible platform, FIFA can seamlessly integrate NFTs, tokens, or decentralized reward mechanisms into games – something that the old architecture on Algorand struggled to fully support.
Impacting the crypto market and Binance users
The launch of FIFA's own EVM-compatible blockchain is not only notable news in the sports sector but also opens up new investment and development opportunities for the cryptocurrency community, especially for users operating within the Ethereum ecosystem.
With FIFA's blockchain now compatible with MetaMask wallets and the popular EVM standard, Binance Smart Chain (BSC) users – which is also EVM compatible – can fully expect connection opportunities in the future, ranging from trading sports NFTs to integrating football-related Play-to-Earn games.
Summary: FIFA officially enters the blockchain game proactively
By developing its own blockchain and abandoning the old infrastructure, FIFA has clearly demonstrated that its ambition goes beyond being a traditional sports brand and aims to become a new force in the Web3 field.
While the transition process will cause temporary disruption and require users to familiarize themselves with the new EVM wallet ecosystem, the long-term growth potential is very promising.
FIFA Blockchain is not just a technology platform – it is also a strong affirmation that sports and blockchain can combine to create groundbreaking, transparent, and global user experiences.
Risk warning: Investing in blockchain technology, NFTs, and Web3 products always carries high risks. Users should thoroughly research information and only participate with capital that they can afford to lose. This is not investment advice.
