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The UAE Pro League, the top professional football league in the United Arab Emirates, has joined forces with Chiliz, a major blockchain company powering Socios.com, in a multi-year deal. This partnership aims to boost fan engagement through experiences built on Web3 technology.
During the first year of the collaboration, the two organizations will focus on developing a Web3-based fantasy football game. Additionally, they plan to release game-scored balls that are authenticated using blockchain technology.
“This partnership represents a pivotal step in our ongoing efforts to expand our global reach, setting new standards for technological innovation in the world of sports,” stated Waleed Ebrahim Alhosani, CEO of the UAE Pro League.
This isn’t the first time leagues or football teams have turned to Web3 to improve fan engagement. Earlier this year, Mastercard partnered with crypto payment company MoonPay to launch an NFT-based trivia game for the UEFA Champions League.
In 2023, Sorare, a non-fungible token (NFT)-based fantasy game, signed a multi-year agreement with the Premier League, enabling fans to collect and trade NFT player cards from all 20 Premier League clubs through the Sorare platform.
The potential to provide fans with exclusive or more immersive experiences, and even the possibility of digital earnings tied to real-life team or player performances, is driving the popularity of NFTs and blockchain-based initiatives among fans.
Experts predict this trend will continue to grow significantly. According to Market Decipher, the sports NFT market is expected to reach $41.6 billion in revenue by 2032. Focusing on the gaming industry, the Web3 gaming market is projected to surpass $133 billion by 2033.
