FIFA is making a major move in the Web3 space by launching its own Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible blockchain to host its NFT platform, FIFA Collect. The football governing body confirmed that the transition from Algorand to the newly branded “FIFA Blockchain” will begin no earlier than May 20, 2025. This shift is aimed at enhancing performance, scalability, and unlocking future features for its digital collectibles.

The migration will phase out support for Algorand-based wallets such as Pera and Defly, replacing them with popular EVM-compatible wallets like MetaMask via WalletConnect. Users with listed collectibles don’t need to take immediate action unless they want to delist items before the switchover. FIFA has promised to provide clear instructions once the process starts.

This move reflects FIFA’s increasing commitment to NFTs and blockchain gaming. The organization first entered the NFT scene with a collection tied to the 2023 Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, developed in partnership with blockchain firm Modex. More recently, FIFA teamed up with Mythical Games to launch FIFA Rivals, a Web3-powered, free-to-play soccer game for mobile platforms.

FIFA Rivals is set for a soft launch in May 2025, with a full release planned for summer. The game will allow users to manage football clubs and compete in real-time matches. Mythical Games CEO John Linden believes the title could attract over 100 million players, citing the strong performance of their previous game NFL Rivals, which pulled in over 6 million users despite a smaller audience.

FIFA’s shift to its own blockchain and deeper dive into gaming signals a long-term strategy to build digital fan engagement in the evolving metaverse economy.