The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off its Round of 32 on July 2, and for the first time in the tournament’s nearly century-long history, there’s an official crypto exchange sponsor on the sideline. Kraken secured that distinction back on June 9, becoming FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter, a deal that would have been unthinkable even two cycles ago.

While billions of viewers tuned in for Spain vs. Austria, Portugal vs. Croatia, and Switzerland vs. Algeria across FOX and FS1, a parallel game was playing out on trading platforms. Fan tokens tied to national teams spiked in volume, prediction markets churned through billions in bets, and the Chiliz-powered Socios platform processed a wave of activity that made the connection between…