When roughly a billion viewers tune in to watch England try to lock down first place in Group L against Panama, they will also be watching the most expensive crypto sponsorship in sports history play out in real time. Kraken, the official crypto exchange supporter of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is betting that moments like these convert casual fans into crypto users.
The match kicks off June 27 at 5:00 PM ET inside MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. England, managed by Thomas Tuchel, sit on four points from two matches, a 4-2 win over Croatia and a 0-0 draw with Ghana. A draw against Panama is enough to advance to the knockout stages, but the squad wants more than survival.
England’s path through Group L
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set for his 29th consecutive start for England, a streak that speaks to both his consistency and the lack of a credible challenger behind him. His focus heading into the Panama fixture has been on collective discipline.
Panama have suffered two losses in Group L and need a win against England to keep alive their hopes of advancing as one of the best third-place teams.
