FIFA is finalizing details for the start of the World Cup Qatar 2022 which will take place in Qatar. Although the highlight of the event are the matches between the national teams, the organization plans to position the event on all fronts. One of them is the metaverse, where football fans will be able to visit the Lusail Stadium in Doha and buy some items virtual.
A few days before the inauguration, FIFA announced that it will offer a metaverse experience of the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The institution closed a deal with Uplands, a blockchain based game where people can buy and sell properties and digital assets. Unlike Zuckerberg’s metaverse, where we interact with avatars, Upland is a kind of Google Maps where we can navigate a map of the entire world.
FIFA’s proposal is that users will not need to fly to Doha to visit Lusail Stadium. All you have to do is create an Upland account, simulate a trip around the map and access a virtual universe built around menus. Once in Qatar, fans will be able to enter stores and buy official items or memorabilia in the form of NFTs.
The beauty of this experience is that there are different categories of NFTs. Some are limited time, while others are rare and commemorate classic World Cup moments. By purchasing virtual items, users earn points that are used to enter a raffle that will raffle ownership of the Doha stadium.
If all of the above seems to you confusing or unattractive, you are not the only one. Winning a stadium or buying digital assets that you can display in your on-map property would only be eye-catching for Upland users. That is why FIFA has looked for other partners to offer an experience according to the virtual game model and one of them is Roblox.
A few weeks ago, FIFA announced the launch of FIFA World, a new ecosystem that offers mini-games and rewards within Roblox. Users can visit multiple virtual spaces and collect outfits or stickers to unlock rewards. To boost the interest of soccer fans, the company used Pedri and Lena Oberdorf, who have their avatar in the game.
FIFA World is the answer for those looking for a metaverse pulled more to the side of Fortnite and MMO games. People can gather on virtual stages and enjoy exclusive FIFA+ content. Although it is not the same as inviting friends to enjoy the match with a beer — as normally happens in an event of this type —, FIFA’s commitment goes to the new generations.
Christina Wootton, vice president of global partnerships at Roblox, said enjoying events together isn’t always possible in the physical world. For her part, Lindsay Aamodt, director of marketing for Upland, stated that a regular fan is not going to buy a ticket to a game, but in return they will have a representative experience in the metaverse.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will kick off on November 20 when the Qatar team faces Ecuador. This edition of the World Cup will be one of the strangest, not only because of the controversy surrounding its designation, but also because it will have a shorter calendar compared to championships from other years. The extreme weather and the Christmas holidays forced the organizers to modify the competition.