Swiss authorities review FIFA’s blockchain ticket platform

In particular, authorities are examining whether FIFA’s activities are related to gambling

Gespa, the Swiss gambling regulator, has launched a preliminary investigation into FIFA Collect, the blockchain system used to sell tickets for the World Cup 2026.

“Based on an initial internal assessment, it cannot be ruled out that the offering on collect.fifa.com may be relevant under gambling legislation”, – Manuel Richard, director of Gespa, said in an emailed statement. “Gespa will now proceed with further fact-finding to determine whether regulatory action is required”.

At the previous World Cup, tickets were sold through FIFA’s website and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Last year, FIFA began selling “Right to Buy” tokens, which give fans a guaranteed chance to purchase a ticket when official sales begin.

Some tokens carry a higher risk. For example, the “Right to Final” token gives fans an opportunity to buy a ticket to the World Cup final only if the team associated with their collectible token reaches the final. For instance, the “Right to Final: England” token cost $999, and such tokens are now sold out. If England reaches the final, holders of these tokens will gain the right to purchase a match ticket.

Considering that nearly 50 teams will participate in next year’s tournament, most of the sold tokens will not result in any ticket, Bloomberg notes.