Switzerland’s gambling regulator, GESPA, has filed a criminal complaint against FIFA’s World Cup NFT platform, alleging violations of national gambling laws.
In an official statement, GESPA said it discovered the FIFA Collect platform (collect.fifa.com) earlier this month. The site enables users to buy and trade digital collectibles that are linked to FIFA’s tournaments. Moreover, it also features competitions such as “drops” and “challenges” where users can win cash prizes.
According to GESPA, these competitions require monetary stakes, and the outcomes rely on random draws or similar elements of chance. The regulator concluded that these mechanisms meet the criteria for lotteries and sports betting under Swiss law.
Because FIFA Collect does not hold a Swiss gambling license, GESPA determined that the platform is operating illegally within the country. The authority stated it had fulfilled its legal obligation by notifying prosecutors, as required under the Federal Act on Gambling.
FIFA Collect and Its Digital Expansion
Zurich-based Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) launched FIFA Collect ahead of the 2022 World Cup. The project introduced digital collectibles representing iconic football moments and player highlights. The platform, initially hosted on the Algorand blockchain, migrated to Polygon in 2023.
FIFA described the initiative as a way to make collectibles “accessible to every football fan”. At the time, Romy Gai, FIFA Chief Business Officer, said the goal was to democratize fan engagement and ownership of World Cup history.
During its early phase, FIFA Collect introduced a special promotion giving early adopters the chance to win tickets to the 2026 World Cup. This offer, in turn, was designed to reward initial users and boost engagement with the platform’s first wave of digital collectibles.
FIFA Prepares Its Own Blockchain Platform
Earlier this year, FIFA unveiled plans to roll out its own EVM-compatible blockchain, leveraging the Avalanche technology stack. The new network, known as FIFA Blockchain, will serve as the home for future FIFA NFTs. Existing digital assets from FIFA Collect are expected to be migrated to this platform once operational.
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