FIFA Partners Avalanche for Custom Layer 1 Blockchain

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has entered a strategic partnership with Avalanche to develop a dedicated Layer 1 (L1) blockchain platform aimed at transforming digital fan experiences and unifying its NFT ecosystem

The new blockchain, named the FIFA Blockchain, is being built using Avalanche’s scalability-centric Layer 1 technology, previously referred to as subnets. It will function as an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible custom network, enabling FIFA to migrate and consolidate its existing digital assets.

This includes the FIFA+ Collect NFT collection, which was initially hosted across multiple platforms, including Algorand and Polygon. By centralising its blockchain infrastructure, FIFA aims to reduce fragmentation and improve scalability in anticipation of high user activity during global events such as the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Designed for scalability and customisation

Avalanche highlights that its infrastructure has been designed to handle immense traffic, including surges experienced during major global sporting events. This development follows Avalanche’s recent Avalanche9000 upgrade, which was launched to attract developers by making the deployment of custom Layer 1 blockchains more cost-effective and accessible.

FIFA’s migration to this system aligns with broader industry trends of moving from disparate blockchain platforms to unified, tailored systems that offer more control, scalability, and user-focused design.

FIFA invites partnerships for new digital currency initiative

The partnership also comes on the heels of FIFA’s unexpected appearance at the White House Crypto Roundtable held on 7 March. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was given the first speaking slot during the public portion of the event, used the opportunity to introduce the concept of a new digital asset.

“FIFA is very, very interested in developing a FIFA coin, to do it from here, from America, and to conquer the 5 billion soccer fans in the world,” said President Gianni Infantino. “If there is anyone here who is interested to team up with FIFA, here we are.”

While Avalanche has not provided further details on the development of a FIFA coin or the launch of a native token within the new blockchain, Infantino’s remarks indicate that FIFA is exploring broader applications of blockchain technology beyond NFTs.