Argentina opens its World Cup title defense against Algeria on June 16 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and the crypto industry is paying close attention. The match kicks off at 8 PM local time, putting Lionel Messi back on the world’s biggest stage, and with him, a web of crypto partnerships that stand to generate real market activity.
Between Messi’s ambassador deal with Socios.com, Kraken’s freshly minted FIFA sponsorship, and the Argentine Football Association Fan Token ($ARG) sitting at roughly $0.33 with daily volumes in the low millions, the tournament is shaping up to be the most crypto-integrated World Cup yet.
The crypto infrastructure around the World Cup
On June 9, just a week before the tournament opener, Kraken was announced as FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter. It’s the first partnership of its kind for the World Cup, marking a significant institutional milestone for crypto’s relationship with professional sports.
Then there’s the Messi factor. The Argentine captain’s ambassador deal with Socios.com, the fan engagement platform built on the Chiliz ecosystem, was initially signed for three years in 2022 and valued at over $20 million.
