Something happened at the 2026 FIFA World Cup that has literally never occurred before. France, Argentina, Spain, and England, ranked No. 1 through No. 4 respectively in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, all reached the semifinals together. The beautiful game, for once, followed the script.
Yet this tournament, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, has been remarkably kind to the favorites. It’s the first time in the tournament’s 96-year history that the top four ranked teams have simultaneously reached the semifinals.
Kraken, fan tokens, and the crypto-sports convergence
On June 9, 2026, Kraken was named the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026 across North America and Europe. FIFA previously partnered with Algorand for digital collectibles during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Kraken deal represents a deeper integration, moving from collectibles to exchange-level sponsorship.
Several crypto assets have seen heightened attention in connection with the tournament. Tokens like CHZ (Chiliz, the backbone of the Socios fan token platform), AVAX, SOL, and LINK have all been frequently mentioned alongside fan engagement and tournament experiences. Then there’s FWC26, a Solana-based token that emerged around the tournament. As of early July 2026, it was trading at approximately $0.000002261.
