Swiss regulator takes legal action against FIFA's NFT platform
- GESPA investigates FIFA Collect for gambling
- NFT platform would require betting and cash prize
- Project migrated to Polygon; new “FIFA Blockchain” network
The Swiss gambling supervisory authority, GESPA, has filed a criminal complaint against FIFA's World Cup-themed NFT platform, alleging possible violations of national law. According to the authority, the website collect.fifa.com ("FIFA Collect") offers "drop" competitions and challenges involving digital collectibles that may qualify as unlicensed gambling in Switzerland.
After preliminary analysis, GESPA stated that participation would require a monetary wager, with cash prizes available, and that the outcome for participants would depend on random draws or similar probability-based procedures. Under Swiss law, some of the offers would constitute lotteries and some would resemble sports betting, which would require specific authorization to operate in the country.
In the statement , the regulator reported having notified the relevant authorities in compliance with the Federal Gambling Act. The final determination of any criminal liability will be up to prosecutors and the police, with the investigation continuing. Zurich-based FIFA, recognized as football's global governing body, did not immediately comment publicly on the allegations.
FIFA's digital collectibles project was announced ahead of the 2022 World Cup with the aim of capturing key sporting moments in NFTs. The initiative debuted on Algorand and, in 2023, migrated to Polygon, accompanied by a new collection that offered early adopters the chance to win tickets to the 2026 World Cup, expanding its appeal to fans and collectors.
“This makes FIFA collectibles available to any football fan, democratizing the ability to own a piece of the FIFA World Cup,”
said Romy Gai, FIFA's Chief Business Officer, at the time. "Just like sports memorabilia and stickers, this is an accessible opportunity for fans around the world to interact with their favorite players, moments, and more on new platforms."
In 2025, the organization also announced plans to launch its own EVM-compatible blockchain, powered by the Avalanche technology stack. The announced expectation was the migration of NFTs to the new "FIFA Blockchain" network, in an effort to consolidate the ecosystem of digital collectibles linked to the competitions and expand functionality for the community.
