Visa, FIFA's official payments technology partner, is set to introduce what it calls "innovative" biometric payment technologies at the World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off on Sunday. Over one million soccer fans are expected to travel to Qatar for the quadrennial tournament.

Visa installed 5,300 contactless payment terminals in FIFA venues, making the World Cup in Qatar the most payment-enabled tournament organized by FIFA. The World Cup provides Visa with a global stage to test new technologies. In Qatar, Visa will pilot several limited pilot projects that demonstrate the future of payments.

In collaboration with Qatar National Bank and POP ID, Visa will allow people to pay using facial biometrics.

After initial enrollment, no physical card or smartphone app will be required.

The payment provider will also introduce a pilot instant digital card. After scanning a QR code, a digital prepaid card will be issued instantly, which can be stored in a mobile wallet.

In a press release announcing the innovative payments, Senior Vice President and Group Manager GCC at Visa, Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, said: “As a long-standing partner of FIFA, Visa wants to give football fans around the world the best way to pay in Qatar while experiencing exciting new innovations like the fusion of art, football and technology at Visa's Masters of Movement venue. With thousands of contactless payment terminals, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ promises to be FIFA's most paying tournament for more than one million fans coming to enjoy the magic of football.”