Kraken Scores Big at World Cup as Crypto Partnerships Heat Up

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico, where the host team beat South Africa 2-0. The match was notable not only for its scoreline but also for being the first major cryptocurrency partnership in World Cup history. On June 9, Kraken secured the title of FIFA's Official Crypto Exchange Supporter, marking a significant milestone for the crypto industry.

The partnership with Kraken is the first time a crypto exchange has locked down a deal of this scale with FIFA for a World Cup cycle. The timing of the announcement is deliberate, as Mexico co-hosts the tournament for the first time since 1986 and Estadio Azteca underwent a $300 million renovation for the event.

Fan tokens are also making waves at the World Cup. South Africa's national team launched an official fan token in collaboration with Chiliz and its Socios.com platform ahead of the tournament. This puts them in line with Argentina and Portugal, which have similar token arrangements through the Chiliz ecosystem.