London had a rough Thursday night. After France eliminated Morocco 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals, clashes between Morocco supporters and police broke out across parts of the city. The result was not just a football story. It was a reminder of how deeply World Cup outcomes ripple through diaspora communities, financial markets, and increasingly, the crypto ecosystem built around the sport.
France advanced to the semifinals on the back of two second-half goals. Kylian Mbappé broke the deadlock at the 60-minute mark, with Ousmane Dembélé adding a second just six minutes later. Morocco, eliminated from consecutive World Cups by France, will not be moving on.
The match and what it cost Morocco’s supporters
For Morocco fans, this one hurt twice. The African nation had already fallen to France at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a result that also triggered significant unrest across European cities. The 2026 repeat, played in Boston, landed the same way.
Crypto and the World Cup: a growing overlap
