The biggest soccer tournament in history is almost here, and it’s bringing a crypto subplot that’s hard to ignore. The 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals are scheduled for July 14 and July 15, at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta respectively, closing out what will be the first 48-team edition of the tournament.
What’s happening on the field
The semifinal bracket is still taking shape, but the field of contenders includes France, Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, Argentina, and Switzerland, among others. Dallas gets the first semifinal on July 14, with Atlanta hosting the second match the following evening.
The tournament spans three host countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Projected global viewership sits above six billion people, which gives you a sense of the commercial stakes attached to every sponsorship deal signed around it.
Kraken, NFTs, and the crypto angle
