The US men’s national team punched its ticket to the World Cup knockout stage with a 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1. Folarin Balogun netted his third goal of the tournament before picking up a red card. Malik Tillman added a second from a free kick, sending the team into the round of 16.
Crypto’s World Cup moment
Kraken became FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter on June 9, marking the first time a cryptocurrency exchange has held such a partnership at a World Cup. The 2026 tournament is the largest ever staged, with 48 teams competing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Chiliz, the blockchain platform behind fan tokens for national teams and clubs, has seen significant volume increases during the group stage and knockout rounds. Fan tokens tied to teams like Argentina and Portugal have been particularly active.
Meme coins, prediction markets, and the Balogun trade
