NFTs take the 2022 World Cup by storm

In the NFT world, there is no sleeping giant capable of eclipsing professional sports. In 2022, this new subset of the NFT market showed its potential several times over. Across the world of professional sports, sports teams have brought in Bored Apes to act as virtual mascots, several licensed sports-themed blockchain games have successfully hit the market, and NFTs have even found themselves heavily featured as part of the Super Bowl’s coveted programming .

Now, NFTs are ready for another big splash in the public eye, thanks to the FIFA World Cup – by far the most watched sporting event in the entire world. A decade ago, a psychic octopus spiced things up. But today, with several high-profile footballers and FIFA itself releasing various NFT projects and campaigns, it’s time for NFTs to take up the challenge.

A legendary skirmish on a virtual pitch

Throughout the 21st century, a debate has raged incessantly in the international football fandom. Who is BUTKEN; Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, or Argentina’s Lionel Messi? This upcoming World Cup could prove to be a pivotal chapter in one of the greatest ongoing stories in sports, as it could be one of the last times these giants collide on the world stage at the peak of their powers. Fortunately, fans of the two can preserve this moment in their respective legacies – and more – thanks to upcoming launches starring Ronaldo and Messi.

Football legend Messi aims to recapture his previous NFT success with Messiverse via the upcoming Time Machine Collection. Hosted on Ethernity, the same marketplace that sold Messiverse for more than $3 million on its first day, the Time Machine Collection is set to launch on November 27, and will feature iconic moments from the Argentine’s storied career available for purchase as NFTs.

In Ronaldo’s case, the Portuguese superstar took his first steps into NFTs with his official NFT collection. Launched on the official Binance NFT market on November 18th, this drop will hopefully be the first of many considering Ronaldo’s official partnership with the crypto exchange’s NFT arm. Inside the collection, fans can own collectibles depicting some of Ronaldo’s most iconic moves on the pitch, from his teenage years in Madeira to his time as a Real Madrid franchise cornerstone.

FIFA+ Collect

For anyone looking for a convenient (and legal) way to get caught up in the ongoing World Cup matches, FIFA+ has been a godsend. With live streams, highlights and statistics related to all the matches taking place, there has never been an easier way to watch the biggest football tournament in the world.

Hoping to further increase fan engagement, FIFA+ also recently launched its FIFA+ Collect initiative. It’s a licensed collection of digital collectibles showcasing moments throughout FIFA’s nearly 100-year history, similar to NBA Top Shot for basketball fans. Just like how watching football has never been easier, collecting football memorabilia is becoming less demanding every day.

Masters in motion

While goals are definitely the most exciting parts of any football match, we shouldn’t forget the dazzling moves footballers use to score them. VISA thought so, and released an NFT collection ahead of the Qatar World Cup to celebrate just that.

With the VISA Masters of Movement NFT collection, football fans around the world were given the opportunity to own truly unique pieces of digital art inspired by some of the most remarkable goals scored in FIFA’s long history. For collectors who hold one of these goals close to their hearts, there may be no better way to immortalize that moment than to purchase NFT art inspired by it.