Brazil and Japan played to a 1-1 draw in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match at Houston Stadium on June 29, with Kaishu Sano’s 29th-minute long-range strike answered by a Casemiro header in the 56th minute.
This is the first World Cup to carry an official sponsorship from a crypto exchange, with Kraken holding that distinction. And the Brazil-Japan fixture became a real-time showcase for how deeply digital assets have woven themselves into the fabric of global sports.
What happened on the pitch
Japan came into the match riding momentum from a solid group stage that included a draw against the Netherlands.
Sano’s goal in the 29th minute was a long-range effort that caught Brazil’s defense flat-footed, giving Japan a lead against a Brazilian side coached by Carlo Ancelotti.
