Mexico opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a clean 2-0 victory over South Africa on June 11, courtesy of goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez. The match at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca marked the third time the iconic venue has hosted a World Cup opener, and it kicked off the largest edition of the tournament ever staged: 48 teams, 104 matches, three countries.
Crypto’s World Cup playbook
Two days before the opening whistle, Kraken was announced as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the tournament.
Chiliz, the blockchain company behind the Socios fan engagement platform, launched national team fan tokens designed to let supporters interact with their squads through digital assets. In May 2026, Chiliz rolled out the $SAFA token for the South African national team, making it the first African national team fan token in the ecosystem.
Chiliz has also expanded its fan token offerings to additional chains, including Solana, ahead of the tournament.
