FIFA licenses a number of Qatar World Cup Web3, blockchain and mobile apps

by Arthur · November 9, 2022

Football’s governing body FIFA has announced licenses for a list of games themed around this year’s controversial World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off this month.

The move follows the break-up with long-time FIFA game maker EA Sports – and after promises it will now use the name license elsewhere.

The list includes the blockchain-based metaverse game Uplandme, as it launches “FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in the Upland Metaverse”. Here, players will be able to collect “official FIFA World Cup digital assets, including legendary video highlights from the tournament” and purchase FIFA items for their Upland home.

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Next up is Phygtl, as FIFA launches “FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at Phygtl”. This will allow users to collectively “amp up a Golden Globe football” and “own a limited fragment of it to pin and immortalize their hand-picked FIFA World Cup photos and video moments”. FIFA promises that this will be a “digital representation of eternal fandom”.

Matchday Challenge: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition is a “social prediction game based on football cards” where you can play against your friends.

Finally, there is “Altered State Machine – AI League: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition”. This allows you to watch 4v4 AI-controlled football matches and have “input on fun and tactical moments”. You can also collect and trade characters.

All of these projects are “designed with Web 3.0 and the future of digital engagement in mind,” FIFA said in a press release.

“This is a hugely exciting group of partnerships that we have entered into as we embrace a new, digitally native football fan and engage in the areas we know they are already active in,” said FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai.

“As we continue to build our gaming strategy well into the future, it is certain that web 3.0 will have an important role to play, and this marks the start of our journey.”

FIFA appeared to play down the importance of EA’s hugely successful FIFA soccer game series back in May when it was announced that the game publisher had dropped its long-standing agreement to change its name to EA Sports FC.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted that “the only authentic, real game that bears the FIFA name will be the best available for players and football fans.

“The FIFA name is the only global, original title,” Infantino continued. “FIFA 23, FIFA 24, FIFA 25 and FIFA 26, and so on – the constant is the FIFA name and it will remain forever and remain THE BEST.”