The 2026 FIFA World Cup's group stage has been marked by unexpected upsets and surprises, leaving traditional powerhouses Uruguay, Germany, and Belgium to pack their bags early. The two-time champion Uruguay was particularly stung by its elimination, given the team's proud knockout-stage pedigree.
Cape Verde, a nation of roughly 600,000 people, has made history by advancing to the knockout rounds without winning a single group-stage match, they drew their way into history instead.
The chaos in the tournament has sparked significant activity on prediction markets. Trading volumes have exceeded $2 billion before the event even kicked off, with the outright winner market alone seeing trading approach $1.7 billion. Peak single-day trading hit $818 million, and anticipated global betting figures for the entire tournament reportedly surpass $50 billion.
Kraken made history on June 9, 2026, by becoming FIFA's Official Crypto Exchange Supporter, the first major cryptocurrency exchange to land a partnership at that level.