The 2026 World Cup’s Group I, featuring France, Senegal, Norway, and Iraq, is one of the more intriguing draws on the pitch. Off the pitch, though, the story is about what’s not there: none of these four national teams have launched dedicated crypto tokens or secured blockchain-specific sponsorships heading into the tournament.
That absence is notable because FIFA itself has gone deep on crypto infrastructure for this World Cup cycle. On June 9, 2026, FIFA announced Kraken as its Official Crypto Exchange Supporter, a deal aimed at boosting crypto awareness among fans across North America and Europe. The partnership is designed to bring activations and product experiences that connect the sport’s massive global audience to digital assets.
FIFA’s blockchain stack is bigger than you think
FIFA Collect, the platform for digital collectibles tied to the World Cup, runs on Avalanche. AVAX powers the underlying blockchain that handles minting and distribution of these digital items. On May 28, 2026, FIFA launched national team dynamic collectibles through the platform, giving fans tokenized memorabilia that can evolve based on team performance.
FIFA Collect is donating 20% of proceeds from select items to FIFA Global Citizen Education, with that initiative running through July 19, 2026.
