According to Decrypt, FIFA is set to launch a new series of NFT collectibles on both the Algorand and Ethereum scaling network Polygon ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023. The global soccer organization announced that this will be the first collectibles release under a new partnership with crypto startup Modex, which will now manage FIFA's digital collectibles platform, FIFA+ Collect. The platform, which launched in 2022, initially minted NFTs exclusively on the Algorand blockchain.
FIFA clarified that it will continue to launch NFTs on Algorand through its own platform while also expanding to Polygon via drops on the OpenSea marketplace. A total of 1,000 NFTs will be launched around the FIFA Club World Cup, with the first 100 minted on Algorand and released on December 15. These will include the rarest collectibles in the drop, offering the chance to secure tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final. The remaining 900 NFTs will be dropped on the OpenSea marketplace on December 19, with further FIFA NFT drops also taking place on Polygon at OpenSea.
A FIFA representative clarified that the platform is expanding to Polygon but not shifting away from Algorand, stating that future choices will be made with the interest of existing and future users in mind, and technological choices will serve them in the best possible way. The FIFA Club World Cup began earlier this week in Jeddah, featuring teams from top leagues around the world, such as English Premier League champions Manchester City.