Two days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across North America, the tournament already has its first crypto storyline. FIFA announced Kraken as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter for the event on June 9, targeting fan experiences across North America and Europe. The partnership lands at a moment when athlete-linked tokens and football-adjacent digital assets are once again demanding attention.
Croatia’s Luka Modrić, the 40-year-old midfield maestro aiming for his fifth World Cup and potentially his 200th international cap during the tournament, sits at an unlikely crossroads of football and crypto. Several Solana-based meme tokens referencing Modrić have been trading in recent days, with one carrying a market cap of roughly $98K and trading volume under $200.
Kraken enters the FIFA orbit
Here’s the thing: this isn’t FIFA’s first foray into blockchain. Avalanche already serves as the governing body’s dedicated blockchain layer for digital initiatives. Chiliz, through its Socios.com platform, powers national-team fan tokens that let holders participate in polling and earn rewards tied to their favorite squads. Adding Kraken to the mix creates a multi-layered crypto infrastructure around the tournament that touches exchange services, fan engagement, and underlying blockchain rails.
