The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest in tournament history with 48 teams spread across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, is barreling toward its semifinal stage. Quarterfinal matchups like France vs. Morocco and Spain vs. Belgium are dominating global attention this week.
Here’s what isn’t dominating attention: crypto. Not a single blockchain partnership, fan token initiative, or NFT campaign has surfaced in connection with this year’s tournament. For an industry that spent the 2022 Qatar World Cup plastering logos on everything that moved, the silence is deafening.
The tournament so far
The expanded 48-team format has delivered exactly what FIFA hoped: more games, more storylines, more eyeballs. The knockout rounds are now in full swing, with quarterfinal action on July 9 and 10 narrowing the field ahead of semifinal matches scheduled for July 14 in Dallas and July 15 in Atlanta.
France and Morocco are set for a rematch of their dramatic 2022 semifinal encounter. Spain and Belgium round out the marquee quarterfinal slate. The final is expected in mid-July, capping what has been a sprawling, continent-spanning spectacle.
