Metaverse fans can ‘fly’ to Qatar to ‘experience’ World Cup

In the real world, the construction of the World Cup infrastructure in Qatar has been marred by extreme temperatures and migrant worker deaths. In the metaverse, however, a digital replica of Lusail Stadium in Doha has none of that baggage — and the virtual property can be raffled off as a prize for a lucky soccer fan. 

Fifa’s virtual universe is part of the soccer organisation’s penchant for embracing the latest tech buzzword. In 2010, some matches were broadcast in 3D. In 2018, it offered a virtual reality experience. Now it’s the metaverse.

While some superfans may fly to Qatar and shell out for a ticket to cheer alongside 80,000 other people during a game, metaverse-inclined fans can head to a virtual airport, wait several hours while they “fly” to Doha, visit a digital version of the stadium and enter nearby shops in the Fifa World Cup-branded village to buy digital merchandise such as scarves and flags, which they can later use to adorn their virtual houses to express their team spirit. That digital journey is thanks to Upland, a metaverse platform based in Mountain View, California, that is partnering with Fifa to provide a blockchain-based metaverse experience during the tournament.

Upland is not Fifa’s only partner to provide immersive soccer-themed digital environments tied to the World Cup, which begins on November 20 and is the most watched athletic event globally. Roblox has also built out a technicolour world where fans can play a game that is a mix of soccer and bowling.

“Younger generations especially are moving away from social networks, playing a lot of games in those 3D environments,” said Dirk Lueth, Upland’s co-founder and co-CEO. Companies and organisations such as Fifa have realised that “if we want to attract those audiences, we also have to be in that space as well”, Lueth added.

Upland’s metaverse is mapped to the real world, meaning it incorporates various simulacra of flesh-and-blood life. Flying across the metaworld costs money and time, though less than in real life — about $5 a flight and about one-fifth of the normal travel time. Users can also buy and resell virtual property associated with real-world buildings. 

For the World Cup, fans in the metaverse can collect and trade digital gear and accrue points, which can give them the chance to win or nab other rarities, such as video clips of goals and other key game moments. One user will also win the digital address of Lusail Stadium, on which Upland built a stadium replica. Users cannot go inside the stadium, but they can view it from the outside and peruse digital shops near its base.

“A regular fan isn’t going to buy a ticket to the game,” said Upland head of marketing Lindsay Aamodt. “But they can have a cool representative experience in the metaverse.”

Bloomberg News

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