FIFA Steps Onto the Crypto Pitch

In a move that's left the crypto world – and perhaps even football fans – doing a double-take, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced plans to launch a cryptocurrency dubbed "FIFA coin."

The unexpected reveal came during the inaugural White House Crypto Summit, where, according to reports, President Donald Trump himself invited Infantino to address the attendees.

"Imagine the potential... only in soccer," Infantino exclaimed to the assembled crypto heavyweights. “FIFA is very interested under my presidency, to develop FIFA coin, and to do it from here, from America.”

He didn't shy away from admitting his own crypto naivety, extending an open invitation: "I’m not an expert at all. If there is anyone here who is interested, team up with FIFA… and we will conquer the world of soccer with FIFA coin.”

The audacious announcement landed at a pivotal moment for the digital asset space. President Trump’s White House played host to the "first of its kind" crypto summit on March 7th, signaling a significant step in Washington's engagement with the industry. The summit attracted a who's who of crypto luminaries, including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, Chainlink Labs co-founder Sergey Nazarov, Exodus CEO J.P. Richardson, and MicroStrategy chairman Michael Saylor.

Spearheaded by White House A.I. and crypto czar David Sacks, and Bo Hines, executive director of the President's Working Group on Digital Assets, the summit's core objective is to solidify the United States' position as a global leader in digital finance. White House officials emphasized the forum's importance in navigating the evolving digital asset landscape, addressing regulatory clarity, fostering financial innovation, and exploring the vast economic opportunities within the crypto sphere.

This summit itself is a clear indicator of the crypto industry's growing influence within the US political landscape. It follows closely on the heels of President Trump's executive order aimed at promoting "responsible growth and use of digital assets" across the entire economy.

While crypto exchanges and tokens are now a mainstay in football as shirt, sleeve and touchline sponsors, fan tokens have thus far failed to score , offering little engagement value and even less potential for monetary gains among fans.

For FIFA, leveraging its powerful global brand, the colossal $170 billion soccer industry, and a staggering 5 billion-strong fanbase to launch a cryptocurrency is a gamble of immense proportions. Whether “FIFA coin” can truly "conquer the world of soccer" as Infantino envisions remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: FIFA is officially stepping onto the crypto pitch, and they're looking for teammates.