The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico will take on South Africa in the tournament’s opening match. But buried beneath the pageantry is a story that matters for crypto: Kraken is FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter, with activations planned across all 16 host cities in three countries.
The partnership, announced on June 9, makes Kraken the most visible crypto brand at the world’s most-watched sporting event.
The biggest World Cup ever, now with blockchain
This edition of the tournament is genuinely unprecedented in scale. A record 48 teams will compete across 104 matches, spread over 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. That is a significant expansion from the 32-team format that had been the standard since 1998.
Canada is hosting the men’s World Cup for the first time. The US last hosted in 1994, and Mexico did so in 1970 and 1986. Following the opening ceremony in Mexico City, additional ceremonies are scheduled in Toronto and Los Angeles on June 12.
