rewrite this title FIFA moves towards its own blockchain, leaving Algorand behind

FIFA, the international football governing body, is taking a significant step in its Web3 journey by announcing a new blockchain network compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

The update, published on April 30 via the FIFA Collect FAQ, outlines plans to migrate the football body’s NFT collection platform, FIFA Collect, from the Algorand network to the upcoming proprietary blockchain.

FIFA stated:

“After the migration, Pera, Defly, and other Algorand-based wallets will no longer be supported. You’ll instead be able to connect to FIFA Collect using MetaMask or any EVM wallet that supports WalletConnect.”

FIFA has yet to confirm a fixed launch date but assured users that further details will be released soon. However, the migration is tentatively scheduled for no earlier than May 20.

FIFA Collect allows football fans to engage with the sport through digital items tied to tournaments and exclusive real-world experiences. The platform also functions as a marketplace, and recent updates introduced new collectible bundles that offer tangible perks, including VIP access to select football events.

FIFA’s EVM-compatible blockchain

FIFA’s decision to adopt an EVM-compatible chain reflects a broader strategy to embrace decentralized technology and increase cross-network flexibility.

According to FIFA, the initiative is a step toward enabling wallet interoperability and creating space for future innovation in digital fan engagement.

It continued that the upcoming platform will benefit from greater compatibility with major blockchain ecosystems and improved user functionality.

In addition, the new blockchain will offer faster performance, support for future feature rollouts, and a more scalable foundation for ongoing development.

FIFA also stated that the overall user experience of its upcoming blockchain platform will remain familiar, and users can expect gradual enhancements as new tools and options are introduced.

Meanwhile, FIFA said it would share more technical details about the impending blockchain network soon.