Norway and Ivory Coast meet on June 30, 2026, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in what shapes up as one of the more intriguing matchups of the World Cup’s knockout stage.

This is the first FIFA World Cup where a crypto exchange holds an official sponsorship. Kraken secured the title of Official Crypto Exchange Supporter, a deal that would have seemed unthinkable during the industry’s post-FTX hangover. And FIFA itself has rolled out a blockchain platform built on Avalanche, aimed at digital collectibles and ticket access for fans.

The match itself

Norway arrives in the knockout round with Erling Haaland as the obvious centerpiece, having reportedly rested key players during portions of the group stage.

Ivory…