Crypto Firms Score Big at Expanded World Cup

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has kicked off in North America, featuring an expanded format of 48 teams for the first time in history. The result is a staggering number of games, with 104 matches spread across 16 cities.

The US set the tone on June 13 with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay, showcasing the potential for lopsided and entertaining fixtures.

Crypto markets are taking notice, with Kraken becoming the first-ever Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of a FIFA World Cup. Avalanche serves as the blockchain backbone for FIFA's digital initiatives, while Chainlink powers prediction markets across platforms like Myriad for every single match.

Fan tokens traded on the Chiliz and Socios ecosystem are reflecting real-time sentiment during matches, with tokens tied to national teams experiencing heightened trading interest.