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

TechFIFA wanted Avalanche's blockchain to help curb World Cup ticket scalping. Here's how it's goingIn this week's edition of The Protocol Newsletter, we're looking at how FIFA is using the Avalanche blockchain to test out a new ticketing system. By Margaux Nijkerk|Edited by Nikhilesh De Jun 17, 2026, 7:08 p.m. 4 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on SummaryShowWelcome to The Protocol, CoinDesk’s tech newsletter covering the most important stories in blockchain. I’m Margaux Nijkerk, a reporter at CoinDesk.We’re revamping the newsletter to bring you a deeper look at the biggest trends, breakthroughs and debates shaping blockchain technology each week.This week, we're looking at how FIFA is using the Avalanche blockchain to test out a new ticketing systemAs the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolds across North America, one of blockchain's biggest real-world tests is happening largely behind the scenes.FIFA Collect, the federation's digital collectibles and fan platform, is using the Avalanche network and Modex for its operations to power a new ticketing model designed to address some of the biggest frustrations in sports: bots, ticket fraud and runaway secondary-market prices.The system, which is on a customizable Avalanche Layer-1 blockchain known as the FIFA blockchain, revolves around two features for a designated number of tickets: a Right-to-Buy (RTB) and a Right-to-Ticket (RTT). Neither is the ticket itself.Instead, an RTB is a digital entitlement that gives fans priority access to purchase a specific ticket before it becomes publicly available, giving them another way to buy tickets. Fans can acquire RTBs through FIFA Collect and trade them on secondary markets at a market value. Once redeemed, the RTB converts into an RTT, which can then be used to purchase an official match ticket through FIFA's existing ticketing infrastructure.The concept may sound complicated, but the underlying goal is …

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

Coins in this story

Related stories

Kentucky targets prediction markets, puts red state in potential clash with Trump team

Fidelity joins Wall Street's race to manage stablecoin reserves

Here is how Coinbase plan to survive the crypto downturn by ditching its reliance on trading fees