How NFT technology is used in the world game

Avatar
NFT
Image credit: Deemerwha studio via Shutterstock

With the digital era growing rapidly, crypto continues to be a popular currency which has seen the likes of non-fungible tokens (NFT) rise. They feature distinctive identification codes that cement its entire purpose to signify ownership of a virtual asset.

Being bought and traded online using cryptocurrencies, NFT games and collectibles have emerged into the world of sport and become increasingly popular for fans around the globe.

Polarys

Polarys enables athletes and clubs to launch tradable digital memberships powered by NFT technology to engage with the new generation of fans across the globe.

The platform is for athletes and sports clubs to create digital memberships which allow them to engage with their fans and give back to their community with exclusive rewards. Members can buy, use and trade their membership without any coding or web knowledge needed.

Polarys statement: Everything happens on our platform. Creators (athletes & clubs) can create digital memberships in a few clicks, without any coding or Web experience or expertise needed. Users on the platform can buy (or claim if free) memberships and unlock exclusive rewards (e.g. tickets to games, meet and greets, Q&A sessions, coaching sessions, voting for player of the game or season, tour of the stadium, give the kick-off of a game). The benefit for owners (creators) is to monetise your community in a new and engaging way, moving away from the monopole of often toxic social media.

The platform provides endless opportunities for athletes and clubs to engage with their community, especially with the new generation of fans that is online most of the time and is looking at alternatives to social media to engage with smaller communities.

This is a beneficial provider for clubs as digital presence and fan engagement is extremely important nowadays in sport. The more a club can sell themselves using their online presence the more revenue they can generate which is the ultimate goal of using an organisation such as Polarys to develop digital packages.

NFT Businesses

One of the most successful NFT companies recently is ‘Sorare’. Sorare produces and markets legally authorised player tokens or ‘cards’ that may be sold or used in online games in collaboration with major sports teams. Although a single Cristiano Ronaldo card sold for almost $100,000, most cards only cost a few dollars, and Sorare’s games provide weekly prize money in cryptocurrency.

Up until the end of 2019, Sorare was invite-only, but as soon as it became accessible to everyone, its user base immediately surged. In the first six months, sales totalled $350,000 and 70 football teams, including European powerhouse Juventus, signed on.

EA Sports, the company behind the FIFA video game franchise and Madden NFL, is the industry leader in digital sports games. With sales of almost $6 billion and a profit of $800 million

Compared to EA’s fanbase, which has 25 million players of FIFA 22 alone, Sorare’s price doesn’t seem outlandish considering its considerably quicker growth.

EA’s FIFA ultimate team or (FUT) can be seen as the original NFT, consumers buying and trading virtual cards which may have led to the inspiration of modern day NFT collectibles companies such as Sorare and Polarys produce.

Implementing NFT in our backyard

With the growth and success of this technology, the A-league could look to implement NFT’s in a bid to grow the game in Australia. A-league Fantasy Football exists, however the popularity of the game never took off compared to the likes of Premier League Fantasy and others. Introducing a set of A-league NFT collectibles may be an option which increases the online interaction between consumers and the league.

Ultimately, the downfall of NFT’s won’t happen anytime soon. With football organisations benefiting from new technology and progressing their club virtually, it seems as though this will stay a relevant as a part of the games off-field advancement.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Spain’s Domestic and Global Success: What can Australia Learn?

Avatar
Image credit: Destination NSW

Spain has now won back-to-back UEFA Women’s Nations League titles following their decisive victory over Germany in the final on Tuesday. Goals from Vicky Lopez and Claudia Pina helped ‘La Roja’ to their third international trophy in three consecutive years, prolonging the team’s dominant status within the women’s game. The achievement not only solidifies Spain’s standing at the top of international football, but displays an essential model for other nations to follow when developing women’s football.

In Australia, as the excitement of hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 builds and the buzz around women’s football is reignited, looking to Spain’s investments could be the first crucial step in ensuring both short and long-term success for women’s football across the country.

International Investment

Just a week before Spain achieved its second consecutive Nations League trophy, multinational renewable energy company, Iberdrola, reaffirmed its dedication to supporting the women’s game both on and off the pitch.

Since 2016, Iberdrola has cemented its position as the main supporter of women’s football in Spain. Its partnership with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has led to member numbers reaching over 100,000, as well as fan attendance and viewership skyrocketing in recent years.

Television viewership has seen similar momentum, increasing by 90%. The final of the most recent European Championship against England reached a 42% audience share and peaked at almost 6.5 million viewers.

The growing number of fans attending live matches was evident at the final on Tuesday evening in Madrid, where the Riyadh Air Metropolitano witnessed a record-breaking crowd of 55,843 fans. Given that the previous record was 32,657, it is clear to see that women’s football in Spain is attracting fans on scales far beyond the numbers currently seen in the A-League Women. According to the ALW Report, the league saw an average attendance of 1,559 last season.

Although the gap may appear impossible to overcome, it shows that women’s football is more than capable of attracting crowds large enough to rival the men’s game when backed by meaningul investment.

Domestic Developments 

It is not only the national team which has seen the benefits of continued investment into women’s football over the last decade. Clubs like Barcelona have seen their women’s team achieve huge success both in La Liga and in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, winning two of the last three competitions.

However, one of the crowning achievements of the last decade for women’s football in Spain was a world record set at Barcelona’s Camp Nou in 2022, where 91,648 fans were present for a UEFA Women’s Champions League match against Wolfsburg.

Although there are few clubs on the planet with both the infrastructure and football culture to match Barcelona, it nevertheless, shows that when resources and attention are directed towards the women’s game, it can encourage success on the pitch alongside a strong community of dedicated fans off it.

The Women’s Game in Australia – Time for Change?  

Last month’s A-League Women Report, released by the PFA, underlined a desperate need for investment if the ALW is to keep pace with foreign leagues.

The report highlighted that the increasing talent drain, falling attendances and financial insecurity for players are some of the main issues negatively impacting the growth of the ALW. Following the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, attendances dropped by 26%, showing a failure to capitalise on the buzz surrounding the tournament jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Furthermore, with player dissatisfaction increasing and calls to professionalise the women’s game growing louder, the need for change is becoming more and more desperate. If Australia is to ensure the sustained success of women’s football on both the international and national stage, then looking at the work of the RFEF in Spain could be a valuable first step.

How do we Move Forward?

In the last decade, Spain has shown that consistent investment into the women’s game can bring huge success both domestically and globally. Therefore, by following this example, governing bodies can see how long-term commitment and meaningful investments could improve the structure of Australia’s domestic leagues and ultimately raise the profile of Australian women’s football on the global stage.

While women’s football in Australia has reached a decisive moment, recent developments still indicate reasons to remain optimistic. CommBank’s renewed support for the Matildas ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ due to be held in Australia in March 2026 displays their intention to continue backing the development of the women’s game.

Ensuring this support is acknowledged and then followed through after the tournament has heard the final whistle will be crucial.

Adobe and Real Madrid Broaden AI Fan Engagement Pact

Avatar
Image credit: Marta Fernandez Jimenez / Shutterstock.com

Real Madrid and Adobe have broadened their global alliance to introduce advanced AI tools designed to tailor digital experiences for the club’s international fan community.

The enhanced collaboration brings Adobe’s newest generative and agentic AI technologies into Real Madrid’s content, marketing, and fan-engagement platforms, marking a significant step in the club’s ongoing digital transformation strategy.

New Deal Anchored in AI and Agentic Innovation

The renewed deal will have Real Madrid implementing Adobe Experience Platform and Adobe GenStudio, leveraging tools for high-volume content automation, generative content creation, personalised experience delivery, and campaign optimisation.

With Adobe Firefly Services, GenStudio for Performance Marketing and Adobe Express, Real Madrid will be able to:

  • Simplify content production across global markets
  • Generate personalised assets at scale
  • Rapidly tailor messaging and visuals for various regions and fan groups
  • Give supporters the ability to design official-style graphics, banners and social content through club-branded templates

For Real Madrid, incorporating agentic AI, technology that can independently create, adjust and refine content, aims to deliver a more personal, localised and emotionally resonant fan experience, no matter where supporters are in the world.

Speaking on the significance of the enhanced collaboration, Real Madrid’s Director of Institutional Relations, Emilio Butragueno, said of the strategic deal.

“At Real Madrid, we are constantly looking for new ways to connect with our fans and make them feel part of our club, wherever they are. Our partnership with Adobe allows us to offer more creative and personalised content to all Real Madrid fans,” he said via press release.

Reflecting on the broader impact of the initiative, Enterprise CMO at Adobe, Rachel Thornton, added:

“For fans around the world, football is about so much more than what happens on the pitch. It’s the passion and stories of the clubs, players and fans that turn the sport from a competition into a community, and turn a 90-minute match into a way of life. Through the power of Adobe’s AI and agentic technology, Real Madrid will be able to create and share those stories with its global fan base, strengthening the connection with fans across the globe,” she said via press release.

With this updated deal, Real Madrid positions itself as one of the first major clubs to deploy agentic AI technologies on a global scale, a trend likely to grow as leading teams compete not only on the field but also in the sophistication of their digital fan experiences.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend