The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Vancouver with Canada taking on Qatar in a Group B opener. Kraken was announced as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 9, making it the first crypto exchange to hold such a designation for the tournament. Meanwhile, Chiliz’s CHZ token surged as much as 28% ahead of kickoff, fueled by a new fan-token burn mechanism tied directly to national team victories.
The match: what’s at stake in Vancouver
Canada enters the tournament as a co-host alongside Mexico and the United States. This is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, an expansion from the previous 32-team format. The tournament stretches across three countries from June 11 to July 19 and is the first time three nations have co-hosted the event.
Kraken, Chiliz, and the crypto playbook
The Kraken partnership is designed to enable fan engagement initiatives tied to the tournament. Chiliz rolled out a World Cup-specific burn program that ties token burns directly to match victories for national teams. Up to 10% of treasury-held tokens can be burned per victory, creating a direct link between on-pitch success and token scarcity.
