The largest FIFA World Cup in history is about to begin. Mexico takes on South Africa in the opening match of a tournament spanning 48 teams, 104 matches, and 16 cities across the US, Mexico, and Canada, running from June 11 through July 19.
But the real story for crypto isn’t on the pitch. It’s in the sponsorship deals, the NFT marketplaces, and the fan token trading volumes that are about to get a jolt from an estimated six billion global viewers tuning in.
Kraken steps onto the world stage
Two days before kickoff, FIFA announced that Kraken would serve as the tournament’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter. The timing was deliberate: the partnership went live on June 9, slotting neatly into a Countdown Concert series on June 10 designed to build pre-tournament buzz.
Kraken’s activation targets fans across both North America and Europe. Six billion estimated viewers means roughly 75% of the planet’s population will encounter World Cup content in some form over the next five weeks.
