The FIFA World Cup 2026 just confirmed its quarterfinal lineup, and the numbers surrounding this tournament are borderline absurd. With 4.6 million fans packed into stadiums across the first 72 matches, the event has already obliterated the previous all-time attendance record of 3.6 million, set back in 1994 when the US last hosted.
But the real story isn’t in the seats. It’s on the screens. The tournament has racked up 20 billion video views across platforms, with 30 billion impressions representing a 130% increase over the same stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Social engagement hit 1.7 billion interactions, a 160% jump from four years ago. For crypto companies that placed their bets on this tournament, those numbers translate directly into eyeballs on their brands.
Crypto’s biggest stadium play
Kraken made its move on June 9, signing on as FIFA’s first-ever official crypto exchange supporter. The timing was surgical, landing just two days before the opening match on June 11.
Kraken’s FIFA partnership covers a global tournament reaching billions of viewers across every continent. The 48-team format, expanded from 32 for the first time, means more matches, more countries invested, and more potential customers seeing the Kraken brand during 104 total games running through July 19.
