Matchday, a company that combines video games, sports, and web3, has announced that it has raised $21 million in seed funding. The funding round was led by Lionel Messi’s venture capital firm, Play Time, and included participation from other investors such as Courtside Ventures, Greylock, HackVC, Capricorn Investment Group, and Horizons Ventures.
In addition to backing Matchday, Lionel Messi has been making significant moves in the NFT world. Messi is a brand ambassador for Sorare, a prominent NFT fantasy soccer game, and has also signed a $20 million endorsement deal with Socios, a fan token platform. Furthermore, Messi has released his own official NFT collectibles through the Ethernity Chain platform.
The combination of Messi’s influence in both the soccer and NFT worlds with Matchday’s official licensing from FIFA and FIFPRO makes for an exciting collaboration that has the potential to disrupt the gaming industry. Matchday’s games will be optimized for casual users, making them accessible to a broad audience within the football community.
This new partnership is a win-win for everyone involved. Messi’s backing of Matchday will bring attention to the startup and help to elevate it to new heights, while Matchday’s official licensing and expertise in Web3 gaming will help Messi and his ventures to expand their reach and create even more exciting opportunities in the future.
This funding will allow Matchday to build an ecosystem of casual football games that will feature officially licensed players and tournaments. The company has already signed a multi-year partnership with FIFA to bring world-class tournaments such as the Men’s and Women’s World Cup, as well as male and female football ambassadors, into a suite of video games.
Matchday’s focus on building an ecosystem of casual football games is expected to attract a large audience of football fans who are looking for a more engaging and interactive experience. The company’s upcoming releases include Matchday Play and Matchday Squads, which are expected to build on the success of the limited-time Matchday Challenge: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition. The Challenge coincided with the World Cup and attracted nearly 600,000 signups, with two million player cards distributed.
As FIFPRO’s official blockchain partner, Matchday is able to provide players with real ownership of their digital items, including cards, which they have acquired through collecting and trading. This provides a level of authenticity and transparency that is not possible with traditional gaming platforms.
Matchday’s team includes Chief Gaming Officer Sebastien de Halleux, Executive Chairman Razmig Hovaghimian, and CTO Benny Wong. The team brings a wealth of experience in the gaming and tech industries, which will be essential in the development of the company’s ecosystem of casual football games.
With its focus on building an ecosystem of casual football games, Matchday has already attracted significant interest from investors and players alike. The company’s upcoming releases are eagerly anticipated, and it will be interesting to see how Matchday continues to evolve and innovate in the years ahead.
