Published on: 02/11/2022
Visa launches NFT auction to celebrate 2022 Qatar World Cup
Visa has officially launched the Visa Masters of Movement NFT auction to celebrate the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which will be held later this December. Visa hails this program as a “first of its kind,” offering a hybrid experience for soccer fans that includes a pre-event non-fungible token (NFT) auction and “immersive activation.”
The auction features digital art inspired by the legendary goals scored by five former soccer stars, namely Jared Borgetti (Mexico), Tim Cahill (Australia), Carli Lloyd (U.S), Michael Owen (England) and Maxi Rodriguez (Argentina), which have been minted into unique NFTs on Crypto.com.
“As FIFA World Cup 2022™ approaches, we want to celebrate football, art, and technology through the lens of what makes the FIFA World Cup™ so special – wildly impassioned fans, legendary athletes, and, for a few short weeks, the ability to bring the world together in a uniquely connected way,” Visa Senior VP Andrea Fairchild said.
Visa Masters of Movement’s auction
Fans can participate in the auction, which began yesterday and runs until November 8. The collection will be officially released later this month, from November 19 to December 18. The award-winning XK Studios created the digital artwork using an algorithm that converted the iconic motions into vibrant works of art.
The NFTs will be delivered to the winning bidders in their Crypto.com wallets. High-quality printable art files and signed memorabilia from renowned players will be included in the collection.
“The FIFA World Cup™ is one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world, and we are incredibly excited to give fans a new way to engage with this epic event,” Crypto.com’s Chief Marketing Officer Steven Kalifowitz said.
“We are thrilled to partner with Visa in bringing Visa Masters of Movement to life and offering fans the opportunity to create and collect the most unique collectibles at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ that will live forever on the blockchain”.
All auction profits will be donated to Street Child United, a U.K.-based charity foundation whose objective is to battle the pervasive stereotype that street-connected kids encounter around the world.
Visa x Crypto.com
Visa welcomes thousands of fans to generate their iconic moves in the free-standing Visa Masters of Movement space at the FIFA Fan Festival in Doha. Fans will enter a digital LED pitch, equipped with tracking technology, which will capture and transform their iconic movements into digital art.
On-site attendees will be allowed to scan QR codes to have their NFTs minted on the Ethereum blockchain by Crypto.com. Fans can choose the color scheme that will be used to create their NFTs, which will be emailed to them as digital souvenirs.
“Being able to have partners like Crypto.com to help with the execution of the NFT, we really feel the opportunities are endless as it relates to retail and the landscape of sports and entertainment,” Fairchild added.
“We feel like we have such a great opportunity to bring digital commerce into a lot of the sponsorship properties that we have. It [also] opens a whole new avenue for creators and artists.”
Since 2007, Visa has been FIFA’s official payment partner. This campaign is part of Visa’s efforts to expand into NFTs and cryptocurrency. Visa paid nearly $150,000 for a CryptoPunk NFT last year and has sealed a few partnerships to empower crypto-supported debit cards.
Crypto.com in sports
Crypto.com is no stranger to the sports business. The Singapore-based company recently secured the naming rights of Staples Center in California, the home stadium for the NBA teams Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, as well as the NHL team Los Angeles Kings back in December 2021.
Crypto.com has sponsored a number of sporting events as well. In addition to being the official cryptocurrency exchange platform for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Crypto.com signed a $100 million sponsorship agreement with the UFC and Formula 1.
