Hey, remember NFTs, those pointless digital collectibles that a heap of online influencers were convinced would form a whole new industry, despite repeated warnings that they didn’t seem to have any actual unique value?
Well, I can tell you who does remember them. That would be TikTok, which has announced a new set of digital trading cards for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, created in conjunction with collectibles manufacturer Panini.
TikTok’s World Cup digital cards will add an interactive collecting experience to its broader celebration of the World Cup in the app, which will also see the platform host a range of exclusive highlights and behind-the-scenes footage, along with effects and stickers.
As explained by TikTok: “Fans will be able to unlock cards by completing daily tasks, such as following accounts or commenting on posts, with new activities rolling out through the duration of the FIFA World Cup 2026.”
So, essentially, TikTok is using these digital cards as a carrot to drive more engagement, and maximize engagement around the event.
TikTok’s FIFA World Cup digital card collection includes 144 cards, and features players from all 48 teams taking part in the tournament.
“Each nation will be represented by three distinct cards:
- Country Emblem: A card representing each nation’s badge and identity
- Star Player: Featuring a standout athlete from each competing team
- Icon Card: A legendary figure from each nation’s football history”
There will also be an additional selection of “Wild cards” which TikTok users will be able to earn by achieving specific milestones.
“Duplicate cards can be traded to further enhance collections; the more cards fans collect, the more rewards they will unlock,” TikTok said.
And while NFTs have pretty much died out, TikTok’s digital cards offering will likely prove popular, giving users another reason to reach whatever milestones and achievements TikTok sets, in order to gather up more of these virtual cards and trade them with friends.
So while it is, essentially, a replica of a failed offering, it does make sense, tapping into the broader fan hype and engagement with something that will give TikTok users more reason to interact.
What will be interesting then is to see whether other platforms follow suit, and seek to replicate TikTok’s digital collectibles initiative, which could see NFTs return in altered form. Meta, of course, will be watching on, and if the digital collectibles do help to drive engagement, it’s easy to imagine Instagram coming out with the same thing as a tie-in for other sports events, or even making this an ad offering.
So maybe, NFTs aren’t dead. They’ve just been lying dormant, waiting to be reawakened by a specific use case.
Sports content has become a big focus for TikTok, with data showing that 59% of TikTok users watch sports content in the app, and often find TikTok highlights more entertaining than the actual games themselves.
As such, it makes sense for TikTok to lean into this, in an effort to maximize user activity for the duration of the event.
UPDATE: TikTok has informed SMT that its digital trading cards are definitely not NFTs.
