Visa unveils NFT auction, activation ahead of FIFA World Cup

Visa, the exclusive payment services partner of FIFA, said it is ready for a first-of-its-kind hybrid experience with a pre-event NFT auction and immersive activation for football fans during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The pre-event branded Visa Masters of Movement auction will feature digital art inspired by iconic goals from five legendary footballers that have been imprinted in unique NFTs. These are now available on Crypto.com.

The Visa Masters of Movement experience will come to life on an interactive pitch at the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Doha, Qatar and will allow fans to create digital art inspired by their signature moves. Eligible fans can make this digital art their own in partnership with Crypto.com, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 cryptocurrency trading platform.

“Visa Masters of Movement is a unique recreation of the experience of watching iconic movements in digital art form. What we want to show is that the Visa network enables the fluid and seamless movement of money around the world, just like the best football players move across pitch,” said Saeeda Jaffar, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the GCC at Visa. “As the world gathers to celebrate the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Visa is proud to partner with Crypto.com to uplift local communities by supporting Street Child United. We believe that when everyone is included, everyone wins.”

Akshay Chopra, vice president and head of innovation and design at Visa Central Europe, Middle East and Africa, said NFTs have given new impetus to the creative economy, particularly in the arts and sports.

“As the region that marked Visa’s first NFT globally, we are delighted to have the Masters of Movement NFTs launched at our CEMEA Innovation Center and excited to share this amazing experience with everyone, everywhere,” said Chopra.

Also read: Multinational companies suspend ads on Twitter amid mass layoffs

Football fans can bid on the Visa Masters of Movement NFT on Crypto.com from November 1-8. The auction brings together five unique artworks inspired by iconic FIFA World Cup™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ goals from legendary footballers: Jared Borgetti , Tim Cahill, Carli Lloyd, Michael Owen and Maxi Rodriguez embossed into NFTs. The digital artwork was designed using an algorithm by award-winning XK Studios that transformed the iconic movements into dynamic works of art.

A unique collectible, fans with the highest bid for each NFT at the end of the auction will receive the NFT in their Crypto.com wallet along with a high-quality print file and autographed memorabilia of the legendary player featured in the NFT. Visa will donate all auction proceeds to Street Child United, a charity incorporated and operating in the UK whose mission is to tackle the widespread stigma faced by street children globally.

“We are delighted to partner with Visa to give fans a new way to engage with and experience the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ while benefiting Street Child United,” said Stuart Isted, General Manager, Middle East and Africa at Crypto.com. “it’s an honor to partner with such iconic global brands and soccer legends to bring the game to life through art.”

Through the immersive Visa Masters of Movement experience, fans can learn about new ways Visa enables the movement of money around the world, including new technologies like crypto and other digital solutions that give more people access to the global economy.

“In Visa Masters of Movement, the players are artists, and the playing field is their canvas. It’s amazing to see how one of my most memorable goals has been transformed into digital art and then embossed into an NFT. I think the community focus of the auction is even more impressive, with all proceeds benefiting Street Child United. I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this and to work with brands like Visa and Crypto.com that are creating such unique opportunities to give back to the community,” said legendary Australian footballer Tim Cahill.

At the heart of the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Doha (November 19 – December 18), Visa said it is inviting thousands of fans to create their legendary moves in the standalone Visa Masters of Movement area. Fans enter a digital LED pitch equipped with tracking technology to capture and transform their iconic movements into digital art. Beyond taking a shot at a goal or showing off their skills while playing with other fans to create personalized dynamic artwork, fans will choose the color scheme based on their favorite national colors. Digital art will be emailed as a souvenir, and eligible fans can also choose to receive the digital art embossed as a one-of-a-kind NFT.

Visa has been FIFA’s Official Payment Services Partner since 2007. As a global supporter of both men’s and women’s football worldwide, Visa aims to provide experiences that bring people closer to the action, whether they are among the 1 million people expected in Qatar or the 5 billion viewers expected worldwide for this year’s tournament. Anticipating the next move in payments, Visa offers the latest in payment innovations at official FIFA venues and seeks ways to further its commitment to uplifting lives through the power of sport through programs such as Financial Football, a video game that combines entertainment and education in one action-packed virtual soccer tournament.