The disorder surrounding the UEFA Champions League final in Paris is likely to speed up the adoption of NFT ticketing in France.
The match on May 28th, which saw Real Madrid down Liverpool to claim a famous 14th European Cup triumph, was marred by disturbing scenes as thousands of legitimate ticket holders were unable to get close to the ground.
Kick-off was delayed, with authorities blaming the arrival of thousands of fans with counterfeit tickets, many of them supporting Liverpool. Observers criticised the police operation as officers used tear gas, while local gangs also targeted supporters after the match.
France had originally stated plans to introduce non-fungible tokens for ticketing at the 2023 Rugby World Cup and 2024 Paris Olympics. However a report submitted by French government Olympics envoy Michel Cadot to the office of the French Prime Minister last week recommended that it be brought in earlier.
“This would make it possible to prefigure the planned systems and to break in the working methods, as well as the reflexes of multi-actor management to face difficulties,” Cadot said in the report.
Digital-only NFT tickets, based on blockchain technology and QR codes, would be distributed by SMS just before an event and activated within a security zone at the venue.
NFT tickets could also incorporate access rights to VIP areas among other functions.