The 2026 FIFA World Cup, spread across the US, Canada, and Mexico, features something unusual: a roster of national team managers who look more like a Champions League coaching carousel than typical international football benches. Carlo Ancelotti is leading Brazil. Thomas Tuchel has England. Mauricio Pochettino is running the US squad.

And while the football world fixates on tactics and trophies, the crypto industry is quietly embedding itself into the tournament’s infrastructure. Kraken was announced as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the World Cup on June 9, 2026, and blockchain-native platforms like Chiliz and Avalanche are powering fan engagement tools that blur the line between spectatorship and…