FIFA under investigation in Switzerland over FIFA Collect NFT platform

15.10.2025

The Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority (GESPA) has filed a report with the prosecutor’s office against the International Federation of Football (FIFA) over possible legal violations. The investigation focuses on the FIFA Collect NFT platform, which, according to regulators, offered users contests resembling lotteries and betting activities. GESPA stated that FIFA Collect organized online events where participants could place stakes on digital assets in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for a chance to win cash prizes. The outcomes depended on random draws or similar mechanisms. Under Swiss law, such activities fall under the category of gambling and require an official license – which FIFA did not possess. As a result, the platform operated outside the country’s legal framework. The regulator emphasized that it is legally required to inform law enforcement authorities. The decision on whether to initiate criminal proceedings now rests with the prosecutor’s office. FIFA has not yet issued an official comment, though its legal team may face scrutiny over compliance with Swiss gaming laws. The FIFA Collect initiative was launched in September 2022 ahead of the World Cup. The first NFTs were issued on the Algorand blockchain under a partnership established earlier that year. FIFA representatives described the project as “a digital version of football souvenirs and stickers,” designed to let fans preserve memorable match moments as digital tokens. Later, in December 2022, FIFA released a limited edition of 100 NFTs on the Polygon network, some of which offered chances to win tickets to the 2026 World Cup final. In total, 900 collectible digital items were planned to be made available via the OpenSea marketplace. In 2025, FIFA announced plans to develop its own EVM-compatible blockchain to replace Algorand and Polygon, later choosing Avalanche as the foundation for this new network. The FIFA Collect case highlights how sports organizations are increasingly entering the digital asset space without always accounting for regulatory complexities. Experts believe this investigation could set a precedent for evaluating NFT projects under gambling and financial service laws across Europe.