Colombia’s coach Néstor Lorenzo lost his composure on the sideline when Jhon Arias buried the opening goal against Ghana in their round-of-32 clash at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The bench erupted. The fans roared. And somewhere in the background, the crypto industry quietly notched another win of its own.
Kraken, Chiliz, and the sports-crypto playbook
Kraken was named the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 9, 2026. CHZ, the native token of Chiliz, the blockchain platform powering most major sports fan tokens, surged 28% amid World Cup-related trading activity.
Colombia’s return and why it matters beyond the pitch
Lorenzo has coached Colombia since July 2022. His primary mission was straightforward: get the team back to the World Cup after missing the 2022 edition entirely. The return has been emphatic. Colombia didn’t just qualify. They topped their group and entered the knockout rounds playing some of the most dynamic football in the tournament. Arias’s goal against Ghana was a punctuation mark on a broader narrative of resurgence.
