FIFA to join the metaverse in order to share its digital collectibles

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the world's governing organisation for association football, has filed trademark applications related to the metaverse. It has submitted trademark applications across a range of categories, demonstrating its growing interest in virtual reality (VR).

Shoot FIFA football in the metaverse

In an effort to expand the experiences that will be produced during the World Cup 2026 into the Metaverse, FIFA is said to have registered trademarks.

According to the reports, as part of its ‘WE ARE’ campaign, FIFA has filed trademark applications relating to the Metaverse. The campaign will feature people and events that fans can look forward to in 2026 by taking pictures of faces and locations that convey their own special FIFA World Cup stories.

It has applied for trademarks in nine categories as a sign of its growing interest in virtual reality (VR). These categories are New York, Kansas City, Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas, Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.

A USPTO-licensed trademark attorney named Mike Kondoudis highlighted the news of the metaverse petition first on his Twitter handle.

According to the trademark application, virtual clothes, headgear, eyeglasses, and sports equipment are among the physical products that FIFA aims to capture for retail establishments that sell virtual goods. They cover possible examples, from customised fitness coaching sessions to compelling laser displays, musical performances, and even live broadcasting of sporting events.

FIFA's foray into the Metaverse

FIFA's first foray into the Metaverse included the creation of a virtual copy of Qatar's Lusail Stadium, which was built specifically for the World Cup. This allowed people to watch the competition from the comfort of their homes.

In order to create innovative virtual experiences and digital assets, the 2022 FIFA World Cup organisers worked with the metaverse platform ‘Upland’ in cooperation with the luxury Swiss watchmaker ‘Hublot.’

FIFA has also released ‘Phygtlis,’ a brand-new immersive fan interaction software. It is a gaming experience that enables fans and FIFA enthusiasts to reconnect with their most treasured World Cup memories through an engaging game experience.

FIFA has started undertaking projects integrating non-fungible tokens (NFTs), launching ‘FIFA+Collect’ in partnership with Algorand's blockchain technology, in an identified attempt to further strengthen its digital goals.

Aside from the digital fields, the FIFA trademark is also interested in financial payment management services, virtual stock trading, and crypto exchanges. It is clear from the FIFA trademark that the organisation is growing more interested in the blockchain ecosystem.