King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima pulled off the quickest costume change in royal history on June 20. Bright orange scarves for the Netherlands’ 5-1 demolition of Sweden in Houston. Then bright blue ones for Curaçao’s historic 0-0 draw against Ecuador in Kansas City.
The matches, the milestone, and the money
Curaçao’s result was the headline. The Caribbean island nation, a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, became the smallest nation by both population and area to ever qualify for a World Cup. Earning its first-ever tournament point against Ecuador was the kind of underdog moment that FIFA marketing departments dream about.
Kraken announced in early June 2026 that it had become the official crypto exchange sponsor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That’s a first for any World Cup, a milestone that would have been unthinkable even four years ago when the industry was still recovering from the FTX implosion and a brutal bear market.
Blockchain on the pitch
