Mexico’s 2026 World Cup dream ended in tears on July 5, with a 2-3 loss to England in the round of 16 at Estadio Azteca. Players couldn’t hold back their emotions in front of a devastated home crowd in Mexico City.
But while the cameras focused on the heartbreak, something quieter was happening in the background. The first World Cup to feature an official crypto exchange partner was proving that digital assets and global soccer are now deeply, maybe permanently, intertwined.
The game, and the money flowing around it
Mexico’s elimination came in the expanded 48-team format’s debut tournament, which was supposed to give more nations a longer runway. For El Tri, that runway ended one round too early.
Crypto prediction markets recorded over $2 billion in volume during the group stage alone, according to research tracking tournament-related digital asset activity. That number was almost certainly climbing as the knockout rounds delivered exactly the kind of high-stakes, high-emotion results that prediction markets thrive on.
