By Dipo Olowookere
Football fans attending the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 will have a front row seat to enhanced payment experiences at official FIFA stadiums, Visa, the Official Payment Service Partner of FIFA has disclosed.
Visa is implementing 1,600 point-of-sale terminals and deploying 120 mobile concessionaires throughout the stadium concourses, enabling a cash-free experience from kick-off to the final match. These enhancements ensure official FIFA stadiums are equipped with the latest in payment innovation, giving fans safe and secure ways to pay – whether it is a click, dip, tap or swipe.
Understanding football fans want to focus on the quality of play on the pitch, Visa is offering multiple ways to pay that will save fans even more time and give them the opportunity to get back to their seats to catch that dreaded missed goal, corner kick or red card.
Visa commemorative prepaid cards, which can be reloaded at contactless Alfa-Bank ATMs throughout the stadiums
As a global leader in payment innovation, Visa is also collaborating with Russia-based Alfa-Bank, the Official European Bank of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017, to introduce a Visa NFC-enabled Alfa-Bank payment band, which is available for 1,000 Russian Ruble (approximately $18) at Visa customer service booths throughout stadiums and reloadable using fan’s personal credit or debit cards.
Select Visa and Alfa-Bank guests will also be able to use a payment ring for the first time at a FIFA event. The payment ring, attached to a prepaid card, features an embedded NFC-enabled antenna, enabling fans to tap to pay throughout Russia, anywhere contactless payments are accepted.
“As the Official Payment Service Partner of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017, we are thrilled to bring fans some of the most innovative payment experiences from around the world, enabling them to go cashless at the tournament,” said Ekaterina Petelina, country manager, Visa Russia. “We understand that fans are there for the action on the field and that they value a simple payment experience that gets them back to their seats quickly so they can focus on the match.”
As the Official Payment Service Partner of the FIFA Confederation Cup 2017, Visa will be celebrating the spirit of football in Russia and is looking forward to showcasing the future of digital payments with fans from all over the globe.