FIFA Tests Avalanche Blockchain for 2026 World Cup Ticketing
In brief
- FIFA Collect issues 100,000+ digital entitlements (RTBs) via Avalanche and Modex for priority ticket access.
- Club World Cup distributed 50,000+ tickets bundled with entitlements through the blockchain system.
- Secondary-market trading volume exceeded $25 million across RTB and ticket transactions.
How the system works
FIFA Collect is using the Avalanche network and Modex to power a ticketing model centered on two digital assets: a Right-to-Buy (RTB) and a Right-to-Ticket (RTT). Neither is the ticket itself—they're intermediate entitlements that sit on a customizable Avalanche Layer-1 blockchain known as the FIFA blockchain.
An RTB is a digital entitlement that gives fans priority access to purchase a specific ticket before it becomes publicly available. 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 actual match tickets are still issued through FIFA's existing ticketing infrastructure.
The goal is straightforward: move ticket resale activity into an environment controlled by FIFA rather than third-party marketplaces.
"It's a little bit of the Taylor Swift problem. Concert gets announced, huge influx of buying comes in, primarily from bots. They buy all the tickets, and then the secondary market sales happen." — Dominic Carbonaro, consumer enterprise vertical lead at Ava Labs
Early adoption metrics
According to figures shared by Ava Labs, more than 100,000 RTBs have been issued to date. More than 50,000 Club World Cup tickets have been distributed in bundles with RTBs.
Trading activity tells a similar story. Secondary-market volume for RTTs has surpassed $15 million, while combined RTB and RTT volume has exceeded $25 million.
The blockchain-invisible approach
Dominic Carbonaro, who leads the consumer enterprise vertical at Ava Labs, frames the innovation not as blockchain-first but as user-first. The blockchain sits underneath the experience. Fans don't see it—they see a ticketing system that works. The tickets are now 100% verifiable onchain, so it reduces all types of fraud, fake secondary sales, etc.
That philosophy reflects a broader Ava Labs strategy. The firm wants to deliver Web2 experiences with blockchain underneath, with users not knowing they're using the technology at all. For FIFA, that means a familiar ticketing flow with bot-resistant infrastructure running quietly in the background.
Frequently asked questions
How does FIFA's RTB system prevent ticket bots?
The RTB (Right-to-Buy) gives fans priority access to purchase tickets before public sale, moving that transaction into FIFA's controlled blockchain environment rather than open secondary markets where bots typically operate. Once redeemed, the RTB becomes an RTT (Right-to-Ticket) that can be used to buy the actual match ticket through FIFA's infrastructure.
What is the difference between an RTB and an RTT?
An RTB is a digital entitlement that gives fans priority access to purchase a specific ticket before public availability. Once redeemed, it converts into an RTT, which is then used to purchase the actual official match ticket through FIFA's existing ticketing infrastructure.
How much trading volume has FIFA's ticketing system generated?
More than 100,000 RTBs have been issued to date, with over 50,000 Club World Cup tickets distributed in bundles. Secondary-market volume for RTTs has surpassed $15 million, while combined RTB and RTT trading has exceeded $25 million.
