Gespa Files Complaint Against FIFA Over World Cup Tokens

The Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority, known as Gespa, has filed a criminal complaint against the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) over its blockchain-based ticketing platform, FIFA Collect, which offers non-fungible tokens (NFTs) linked to the 2026 World Cup.

In its filing, Gespa said the platform appears to provide unlicensed gambling services, calling them “illegal” in Switzerland. 

Earlier this month, Gespa had already opened a preliminary investigation into the sale of these tokens to determine whether they could be classified as a form of gambling under Swiss law. 

According to Gespa, the platform features various NFT drops, challenges, and other competitions that require users to pay to participate. They can win money based on random draws or match results. Some of these activities may qualify as lotteries, while others resemble sports betting, such as the “Right to Final” token, which lets fans purchase a ticket to the World Cup final only if their chosen team qualifies.

Gespa said it is obliged to alert law enforcement whenever it suspects violations of Switzerland’s gambling laws. The case will now move to the prosecutor’s office, which will decide whether to pursue formal charges. 

“From a gambling law perspective, the offers in question are partly lotteries and partly sports betting,” the regulator said. However, FIFA has not yet commented on the complaint. 

About the ‘Right to Final’ token

FIFA launched its NFT-based “Right to Buy” system last year, giving fans the option to secure a guaranteed purchase right for certain 2026 World Cup matches. These tokens can also be traded on secondary markets.

The Right to Final tokens drew attention earlier this year for being costly and risky. For example, the “Right to Final: England” token sold for about $999 and quickly sold out. It gives holders the chance to buy a ticket to the World Cup final only if England reaches the match, meaning most tokens could end up worthless if teams are eliminated.

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