The eyes of the football (or soccer depending on where you’re from) world turn to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup later this year. The event will be played in November and December and will feature a new platform with NFTs related to the event held once every four years.
What Happened: FIFA (Federation International Football Association) announced the launch of FIFA+ Collect, which will launch later this month. The announcement from the governing body of world football highlights the easy accessibility to own and collect World Cup and Women’s World Cup moments.
“Fandom is changing and football fans around the world engage with the game in new and exciting ways,” FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai said.
Exclusive and limited-edition collections will launch soon, according to FIFA.
The launch comes from FIFA+, the digital platform that was created by FIFA to connect football fans deeper to the “game they love.” FIFA+ offers live football matches, news, games, and original series.
The new FIFA+ Collect NFTs will be launched on the Algorand (CRYPTO: ALGO) blockchain. Algorand signed as the official blockchain platform of FIFA earlier this year.
Fans are invited to join the FIFA+ app or website and register to receive updates.
Related Link: How To Buy NFTs
Why It’s Important: The launch of World Cup NFTs follows other professional sports leagues entering the NFT space. Dapper Labs launched NBA Top Shot and NFL All Day as ways for fans and investors to own moments from sporting contests of both present and past.
For football, SoRare has grown its presence in the NFT space with partnerships with several leagues, including a recent deal with U.S. based Major League Soccer. Dapper Labs signed a deal with La Liga, the top football league in Spain.
“This exciting announcement makes FIFA collectibles available to any football fan, democratizing the ability to own a part of the FIFA World Cup,” Gai said. “Just like sports memorabilia and stickers, this is an accessible opportunity for fans around the world to engage with their favorite players, moments and more on new platforms.”
The 2022 World Cup will take place from Nov. 20 through Dec. 18 with 32 teams competing through a group stage followed by a tournament to declare a winner. In the U.S., the games will be broadcast by channels and streaming platforms owned by Fox Corporation (NASDAQ: FOX).
The U.S. qualified for the World Cup after missing out on the 2018 tournament and finds itself in Group B with England, Iran and Wales.
ALGO Price Action: Algorand is up 1.73% to $0.3025 on Saturday. The token has traded between $0.2765 and $2.83 over the last 52-weeks.
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