World Cup Goes Crypto: Billion-Dollar Blockchain Experiment Kicks Off

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is making history in more ways than one. Not only is it the largest tournament in soccer history, but it's also the most ambitious crypto integration experiment yet attempted in mainstream entertainment.

As quarterfinal matches kick off today, with Norway facing England at 5 p.m. ET in Miami and Argentina taking on Switzerland at 9 p.m. ET in Kansas City, billions of eyeballs are landing on a World Cup that runs on blockchain rails in ways no prior sporting event has managed.

Kraken became FIFA's first-ever Official Crypto Exchange Supporter on June 9, 2026, with the partnership including activations across host cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico. This puts a major crypto exchange in front of the largest global audience sports can offer.

The tournament features 48 teams playing 104 matches from June 11 through July 19, spread across three countries. FIFA adopted Avalanche for a blockchain-powered ticketing system that uses Right-to-Buy (RTB) and Right-to-Ticket (RTT) tokens to kill scalping and ticket fraud.

Panini launched dynamic NFTs and digital passes through FIFA Collect, giving fans collectible digital assets tied to tournament moments. The $25 million in transaction volume already recorded represents real people using blockchain technology to attend real events across 104 matches in three countries.