Ornella Hernandez

The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off this weekend in Qatar. Millions of soccer fans are not only getting their fill of sports and competition this year, but they also can choose to interact with the various Web3 brands and companies that are hoping to achieve some goals of their own.&nbsp;



During the last FIFA World Cup in 2018 in Russia, the term Web3 was not a part of the global conversation. In 2022, however, athlete NFT drops and Bored Apes in Adidas commercials, for example, are accepted additions to the month-long tournament.



FIFA takes matches into the metaverse 



Starting with the international governing body of football itself, FIFA launched its own NFT marketplace deployed on the Algorand blockchain called FIFA+ Collect. Similar to the NBA Top Shots platform, users can collect video moments and highlights from previous World Cups.&nbsp;



Users can buy a pack of trading cards with three randomly selected highlights or single moments. The most expensive NFT in the marketplace at the time of writing is French player Kylian Mbappe&#8217;s goal against Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup for $7,500.



Additionally, FIFA <a href="https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/fifa-unveils-range-of-new-web-3-0-games-ahead-of-fifa-world-cup-qatar-202" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">partnered</a> with blockchain-based companies — Uplandme, Matchday, Phygtl and Altered State Machine — to develop various soccer-themed Web3 games. 



One mobile game called AI League, created in partnership with the Altered State Machine protocol, will let fans who make it to the top of the leaderboard be eligible for digital and physical prizes such as Vivo phones, gaming equipment and Adidas gift cards.



The Upland metaverse, which maps virtual land to real world cities, has set up a digital replica of the FIFA World Cup Lusail stadium, village and shops. Users can trade NFTs of country crests, apparel and posters from all 32 World Cup teams to complete digital collection albums. World Cup village properties can only be won in tournament-specific Upland activities.



Additionally, the Argentinian player Lionel Messi-backed gaming startup Matchday collaborated with FIFA to create a betting app. Users who challenge friends to World Cup predictions can win by getting it right and collecting trading cards of footballers who perform the best during the tournament.



Lionel Messi’s second NFT drop



Messi teamed up with Web3 studio Ethernal Labs and its NFT marketplace Ethernity to develop his second NFT collection — the Messi Time Machine Collection.



Five new digital collectibles are meant to commemorate the Paris Saint-Germain forward’s career. The first NFT in the series highlights his first World Cup appearance in 2006. Holders of that token will have access to up to four additional collectibles commemorating previous World Cup appearances in 2010, 2014 and 2018. A raffle will grant 10 holders a chance to claim an NFT for this year’s tournament.



The football star first worked with Ethernity in 2021 on the “The Messiverse” collection, which grossed $3.6 million and is reported as the platform’s most successful collection to date.&nbsp;



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“Web3 is catapulting traditional sporting events like the World Cup into the future by offering fans, teams, brands and players a new avenue to connect and gather as a community,” Nick Rose Ntertsas, CEO and co-founder of Ethernal Labs, told Blockworks.</blockquote>



He added that the World Cup serves as a “bridge” between mainstream fans and the Web3 world: “Players and brands recognize they must cater to new technologies like digital collectibles and metaverse meet-ups to catch the attention of fans that grew up in a digital age.”



Additionally, Messi stars in a <a href="https://twitter.com/indigo_herz/status/1592082920168390657?s=20&amp;t=PAmK69VmDiqoWBJ2GUPspQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Cup commercial</a> with Adidas-owned Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT, Indigo Herz, on the front of a cereal box aptly named “INDIGOOOOOLS.” Adidas purchased BAYC #8774 Indigo Hertz last year for a total of 46 ETH ($156,000 at the time) as part of its Adidas Originals ecosystem. 



Cristiano Ronaldo enters NFT space



While Messi has been a blockchain proponent for the past couple of years, the 2022 World Cup marks the arrival of one of his rivals to the industry — Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo. He is the most followed individual on Instagram, and crypto exchange Binance decided to take advantage of that fact.



Ronaldo <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano/status/1593529459306598401" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">launched</a> an NFT collection on Binance.com as part of an exclusive, multi-year partnership with the exchange. The 6,645 NFT CR7 collection features seven animated statues depicting an iconic moment in Ronaldo’s life. 



The digital collectibles have four levels of rarity, and depending on the NFT rarity, owners have access to different perks — ranging from a personal message from Ronaldo, autographed merchandise, access to future NFT drops and complimentary gift boxes.



Ronaldo said in a statement that he was “able to make something that not only captures the passion of the game but rewards fans for all the years of support.”



However, Binance.com’s NFT marketplace isn’t available to US users, so they are instead eligible to receive a souvenir NFT for thresholds of USD deposits made on the platform within the promotion period. Only then will users gain whitelist access to purchase future CR7 NFTs.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Recently celebrity-endorsed crypto advertisements have come under fire given <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/what-do-tom-brady-steph-curry-and-naomi-osaka-have-in-common-an-ftx-lawsuit" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a class-action lawsuit against public figures</a> Tom Brady, Steph Curry, Larry David and others who were hired by now-bankrupt FTX. 



Earlier this year, Binance opted for a <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/binance-hires-nba-star-to-warn-against-celebrity-ads" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social media campaign that ironically used celebrities</a> and athletes to warn crypto investors about listening to celebrities. 



Nevertheless, Binance is now out with a 60-second <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAozsyoe9DI" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">television commercial</a> featuring Ronaldo to promote the partnership and the NFT collection during the World Cup.



Budverse x World Cup 2022 NFTs   



American Beer maker Budweiser made a $75 million agreement with FIFA to be World Cup’s official beer sponsor. The deal was altered, however, when FIFA decided to <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/story/4805520/fifaqatar-in-talks-over-whether-beer-will-be-sold-at-world-cup-stadiums-sources" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ban the sale of alcohol</a> in its stadium two days before the first game. 



Budweiser has instead <a href="https://twitter.com/Budweiser/status/1593893410062143488?s=20&amp;t=QWehbFR_pER6ghB_JSTKtw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decided</a> to give away all the beer they were planning on selling to the country that wins the tournament.



In the meantime, they are selling live NFTs that update in real-time throughout the tournament. Live scoreboard NFTs present holders with an animated scoreboard, featuring their chosen nation, that tracks the team’s statistics.&nbsp;



Each mint of a Budverse NFT costs $100 and includes a physical merch pack, including a scarf, a color changing Budweiser aluminum cup and a trading card. Holders are also eligible to enter into a sweepstakes at purchase for a chance to win a VIP trip to the tournament.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">Keep track of your favorite team with a customized collectible that tracks their progress throughout the tournament. Claim exclusive Budweiser x FIFA World Cup™ merch, and get entered for a chance to win the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> VIP experience! <a href="https://t.co/1LBxJKeXjN">pic.twitter.com/1LBxJKeXjN</a>&mdash; Budweiser (@Budweiser) <a href="https://twitter.com/Budweiser/status/1580946123635953664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Messi and Ronaldo Lead World Cup NFT Bonanza

Morgan Chittum

<div id="highlights-block_61e08ae24b898" class="highlights">
 <ul>
 <li>One Gap NFT currently goes for 2 XTZ or roughly $8.41 worth of Tezos, as of press time</li>
 <li>The new collection features artwork by Brandon Sines</li>
 </ul>
 
</div>



Gap Inc. (GPS.N) released a line of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on Thursday, joining a laundry list of major retailers to step into the world of digital collectibles. The collection, dubbed “Gap Threads,” will be powered by Tezos, which touts itself as a more energy-efficient blockchain.&nbsp;



One NFT currently goes for roughly $8.41 worth of Tezos and can be purchased on the San Francisco-based company’s <a href="http://gap.com/nft" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">website</a>.&nbsp;



The NFTs were designed by artist Brandon Sines and will be <a href="https://www.gap.com/nft/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">released</a> periodically throughout the month, according to a statement from the firm. Additionally, certain holders of the asset will receive a real-life Gap hoodie, along with their NFT.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="300" height="230" src="https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-14116" srcset="https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg?w=300 300w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg?w=768 768w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg?w=335 335w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg?w=340 340w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg?w=286 286w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg?w=80 80w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg?w=50 50w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-13-at-2.39.40-PM-300x230-1.jpg?w=849 849w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption>Source: The Gap</figcaption></figure></div>



Brian David-Marshall, president of InterPop which collaborated with Gap to create the collection, described NFTs as a way for companies to bridge the gap between physical and digital ownership.



“These NFTs will unlock an opportunity for fans to get their hands on an exclusive real world apparel drop from this collection. This is a great example of how NFTs are empowering creators and brands globally to connect with their fan bases on new levels,” David-Marshall said in a statement to Blockworks.&nbsp;



Other major brands such as <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/adidas-bumpy-and-historic-step-into-the-metaverse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adidas</a>, <a href="https://www.macys.com/social/macys-parade-nft/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Macy’s</a> and <a href="https://us.dolcegabbana.com/en/redeem/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dolce &amp; Gabbana</a> released NFT plans in the past few months.



Adidas dropped 30,000 NFTs, recording $23.5 million worth of ether in sales last year. The collection went down in history as the most widely-distributed NFT drops, despite reports of <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/adidas-bumpy-and-historic-step-into-the-metaverse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">failed transactions</a>, according to the company.&nbsp;



Garrette David, co-founder of Atomic Form, said it’s no surprise that large brands are venturing into NFTs, describing the partnerships as “a total no brainer.”



“Streetwear culture and clothing lines [have] historically leveraged their branding, [intellectual property] and their community to guide their sales and distribution,” David, who runs a Web3 startup, told Blockworks. “NFTs are a logical continuum. Aforementioned historical strategies translate well into the NFT space because it is a new medium for their IP and drives merchandising costs to be very low because the goods are code rather than physical goods.”




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Gap Releases First Line of NFTs on Tezos Blockchain

<div id="highlights-block_61c0df6466c93" class="highlights">
 <ul>
 <li>The collection’s general sale NFT drop sold out in a matter of seconds, according to Adidas</li>
 <li>One buyer snagged over 300 of Adidas NFTs despite the company’s two-per-customer limit</li>
 </ul>
 
</div>



Adidas dropped 30,000 non-fungible tokens on Friday, netting $23.5 million worth of ether in NFT sales during the retail giant’s historic yet bumpy foray into the metaverse.



“The sale of NFTs by Adidas is a clear indication that not only are major brands widely adopting NFTs but more importantly, they are getting ready for the metaverse,” Scott H. Weissman, CEO and co-founder of TokenSociety.io, told Blockworks after the sale. “Soon, everyone will be living their normal life and their Metaverse life in parallel.”



The collection, dubbed “Into the Metaverse,” currently ranks as the third-largest NFT collection by sales volume, according to <a href="https://cryptoslam.io/">CryptoSlam</a>.&nbsp; It was one of the most widely-distributed NFT drops in history, according to the company.&nbsp;



Adidas’ original plans for its NFT launch promised “early access” to holders of tokens from NFT collections such as Bored Ape Yacht Club, Mutant Ape Yacht Club, Pixel Vault NFT and others, making an already hard-to-get NFT available to a limited number of people. Users had to mint the Adidas NFT for 0.2 ether, worth roughly $800 at time of sale.



A minimum of 9,620 NFTs were reserved for general sale, which later sold out in a matter of seconds on Friday. Adidas promised NFT holders exclusive access to Adidas wearables, in the form of both virtual and physical merchandise, which is scheduled to be unveiled sometime next year, according to the <a href="https://www.adidas.com/into_the_metaverse">website.</a>&nbsp;



Adidas first teased NFT plans on Dec. 2 when the brand <a href="https://twitter.com/adidasoriginals/status/1466443459951271939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1466443459951271939%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.blockworks.co%2Fadidas-is-betting-big-on-the-metaverse-heres-how%2F">tweeted</a> a video of a Bored Ape NFT sporting Adidas apparel, adding that “it’s time to enter a world of limitless possibilities.”



“The Metaverse is currently one of the most exciting developments in digital, making it an interesting platform for Adidas,” a spokesperson for the company recently told <a href="https://www.cityam.com/adidas-partners-with-coinbase-amid-metaverse-push/">CityAM.</a>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Rocky launch</h3>



Early-access minting began at 1:26 pm ET on Friday. Shortly after its launch, various users raised concerns, including failed transactions.&nbsp;



Mutant Ape NFT holders &#8211; who had early access to the drop &#8211; could not complete their transactions after they had already paid gas fees for the digital collectibles. The brand briefly paused the highly-anticipated NFT launch “while the developers investigated issues,” Adidas <a href="https://twitter.com/adidasoriginals/status/1471914441591640065?s=20">tweeted.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;



The retail giant later said they would reimburse anyone who lost money on fees during failed transactions and later issued a statement saying that the “NFT drop is the beginning of Into the Metaverse, not the end.” It is unclear if all refunds have been issued.



“Even with all the measures we took, it wasn’t perfect. But, for the first time, thousands of new adopters experienced the thrills and risks of Web3. We’ll never stop learning,” Adidas said in a<a href="https://twitter.com/adidasoriginals/status/1472888099994841090?s=20"> tweet</a> on Monday.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The collection later sold out in a matter of seconds once Adidas resumed the drop, netting almost $24 million in sales.&nbsp;



Adidas additionally issued a two-per-customer limit on the NFT drop, according to the company’s website. However, one <a href="https://twitter.com/Montana_Wong/status/1472023753865396227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1472023753865396227%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdecrypt.co%2F88705%2Fadidas-ethereum-nft-drop-nets-23-million-and-shoots-to-top-of-charts">user</a> grabbed 330 tokens, using an alternative smart contract, which bypassed the rule.&nbsp;



“Unfortunately, the platforms are not able to keep up with hackers who find new ways to trick the systems using bots that are upgraded just as quickly as they are identified,” Weissman said, adding that regardless of a few snags NFTs still open an entirely new revenue stream for clothing brands.&nbsp;



Despite criticism of the launch, many still see Adidas’ first step into blockchain-based digital collectibles as a signal of further adoption.&nbsp;



“However the drop was executed; It’s interesting to see people’s reactions to macro,” Kieran Daniels, co-founder of SmartDeFi, told Blockworks. “If we truly want ‘mass adoption,’ I believe we should [still] welcome large brands with open arms.”



Adidas did not immediately respond to Blockworks’ requests for comment.

Adidas’ Bumpy and Historic Step Into the Metaverse

<div id="highlights-block_61a906c6e648d" class="highlights">
 <ul>
 <li>Coinbase previously announced a partnership with Adidas</li>
 <li>Adidas purchased digital property in blockchain-based virtual gaming world The Sandbox</li>
 </ul>
 
</div>



Adidas <a href="https://twitter.com/adidasoriginals/status/1466443459951271939?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">revealed</a> its collaboration with popular non-fungible token (NFT) collection Bored Ape Yacht Club on Thursday, signaling another move from the company to venture into the metaverse.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">Today we leap Into The Metaverse with <a href="https://twitter.com/BoredApeYC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BoredApeYC</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/gmoneyNFT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gmoneyNFT</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/punkscomic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@punkscomic</a>. It’s time to enter a world of limitless possibilities.<a href="https://t.co/LmgtrRn20c">https://t.co/LmgtrRn20c</a> <a href="https://t.co/40kU8tayrS">pic.twitter.com/40kU8tayrS</a>&mdash; adidas Originals (@adidasoriginals) <a href="https://twitter.com/adidasoriginals/status/1466443459951271939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



However, this is not the sportswear brand’s first foray into digital collectibles. Last week, the sneaker giant announced partnerships with <a href="https://twitter.com/adidasoriginals/status/1463571957249630223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1463571957249630223%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdecrypt.co%2F87087%2Fadidas-goes-full-metaverse-with-coinbase-partnership-and-the-sandbox-real-estate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coinbase</a>.&nbsp;



Coinbase&#8217;s partnership with Adidas is part of the clothing company’s strategy to gain a foothold in the metaverse. “The Metaverse is currently one of the most exciting developments in digital, making it an interesting platform for Adidas,” a spokesman for Adidas recently told <a href="https://www.cityam.com/adidas-partners-with-coinbase-amid-metaverse-push/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CityAM.</a>



Two days prior, The Sandbox, a blockchain-based virtual gaming world, also <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSandboxGame/status/1462871109821419523?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced </a>that the popular shoe company has a plot of virtual land named after the brand on Nov. 22. However, it is unclear what the digital real estate will be used for or how much it is worth.



“Hey @adidasoriginals, impossible is nothing in the Metaverse. What if we invite all of the original thinkers and do-ers to design our future together?” The Sandbox said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSandboxGame/status/1462871109821419523?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweet</a>.



The slew of Adidas news follows <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/nike-files-to-trademark-virtual-goods-hiring-metaverse-designers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nike filing a trademark “virtual goods,”</a> according to an application <a href="https://tsdr.uspto.gov/documentviewer?caseId=sn97096366&amp;docId=APP20211030100704#docIndex=1&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">filed</a> with the US Patent and Trademark Office. 



In other NFT news today, Defiance ETFs <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/defiance-co-founder-nfts-will-be-bigger-than-the-internet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">launched</a> a Defiance Digital Revolution ETF (NFTZ) that will be traded on the New York Stock Exchange and offer investors exposure to NFTs, blockchains and cryptocurrency by investing in NFT marketplaces and issuers, as Blockworks reported.



Adidas AG stock is trading up 0.32% at $145.27 per share, as of press time.



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