FIFA wanted Avalanche's blockchain to help curb World Cup ticket scalping. Here's how it's going

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place across North America, blockchain technology is quietly being put to the test on a global scale through an innovative ticketing initiative.

FIFA Collect, FIFA’s digital collectibles and fan engagement platform, has partnered with Avalanche and Modex to introduce a blockchain-powered ticketing framework aimed at tackling common challenges in the sports industry, including ticket fraud, automated bot purchases, and inflated resale prices.

The solution operates on a dedicated Avalanche Layer-1 network known as the FIFA blockchain and introduces two digital assets linked to selected tickets: the Right-to-Buy (RTB) and the Right-to-Ticket (RTT). These assets do not represent actual match tickets but serve as access rights within the ticket purchasing process.

An RTB grants fans priority access to purchase a designated ticket before it becomes available to the general public. These rights can be obtained through FIFA Collect and traded on approved secondary markets. Once an RTB is redeemed, it transforms into an RTT, which enables the holder to proceed with purchasing an official match ticket through FIFA’s established ticketing system.

The primary objective behind the model is to bring ticket resale activities into FIFA’s own ecosystem rather than allowing third-party marketplaces to dominate the process.

According to Dominic Carbonaro, who oversees the consumer enterprise segment at Ava Labs, large-scale events often experience overwhelming demand driven by automated bots that purchase tickets in bulk before reselling them at significantly higher prices. The RTB framework seeks to redirect these secondary market transactions into a more controlled and transparent environment.

Traditionally, event organizers sell tickets at face value, while third-party platforms capture much of the additional value generated by high demand. FIFA’s strategy aims to retain greater oversight of ticket distribution, fan engagement, and related commercial activities surrounding the tournament.

Data released by Ava Labs indicates that more than 100,000 RTBs have already been issued. Additionally, over 50,000 Club World Cup tickets have been distributed alongside RTBs. Trading activity involving RTTs has surpassed $15 million, while combined RTB and RTT transactions have exceeded $25 million.

These figures highlight one of blockchain's most promising use cases: supporting real-world applications rather than purely speculative digital assets.

For Ava Labs, the initiative is focused more on infrastructure than NFTs. The vision is to provide users with a seamless experience similar to traditional Web2 platforms while blockchain technology handles verification, ownership tracking, and security in the background.

Fans interact with a familiar ticketing process, while blockchain ensures the authenticity and traceability of digital rights. Actual match tickets continue to be issued through FIFA’s conventional ticketing channels. After an RTB is redeemed and converted into an RTT, fans can complete the official ticket purchase process as usual.

Blockchain verification helps ensure ticket authenticity, significantly reducing the risk of counterfeit tickets, fraudulent resales, and other forms of ticket-related scams. This is especially valuable for a global event like the FIFA World Cup, where demand is exceptionally high and fraudulent activity has historically been a concern.

The initiative also offers advantages beyond ticket sales. Supporters gain a more predictable pathway to obtaining tickets without relying solely on lotteries or long waiting queues. Meanwhile, FIFA benefits from greater visibility into ticket ownership and fan engagement throughout the purchasing journey.

In conventional ticketing ecosystems, customer data is often controlled by resale platforms. Through the RTB and RTT system, FIFA can better understand how ticket rights are exchanged while maintaining privacy by storing personal information off-chain and using blockchain records strictly for verification purposes.

This direct access to fan-related insights could become increasingly valuable as sports organizations place greater emphasis on first-party data and personalized engagement strategies.

Although it remains uncertain whether this approach will become the standard for future sporting events, the project offers a glimpse into the evolving role of blockchain technology. Rather than requiring consumers to actively engage with cryptocurrency concepts, FIFA Collect demonstrates how blockchain can operate invisibly in the background, enhancing security, transparency, and efficiency without disrupting the user experience.

For Avalanche and the broader blockchain industry, the World Cup initiative represents a significant opportunity to showcase how decentralized technology can support practical, large-scale consumer applications.

Voice Of Osiz

At Osiz, we see FIFA’s blockchain-powered ticketing initiative as a strong example of how decentralized technology can solve real-world challenges beyond cryptocurrency. By leveraging Avalanche’s infrastructure, FIFA is enhancing ticket security, reducing fraud, and improving transparency for millions of fans worldwide. This innovation demonstrates the growing potential of blockchain in transforming large-scale event management and digital ownership. The integration of RTB and RTT models showcases how organizations can create more efficient and controlled ticket distribution systems. As blockchain adoption continues to expand, businesses are increasingly recognizing its value in delivering secure and seamless user experiences. We believe such practical implementations will accelerate mainstream acceptance of blockchain technology across multiple industries.

Source: Coindesk.com