Spain is headed to the World Cup final after dispatching France in the semi-finals, and the celebrations have been exactly what you’d expect. Fans packed Plaza de Colón in Madrid and flooded the streets of New York City, where the final will be played on July 19 at MetLife Stadium.
Here’s what’s interesting for anyone reading this on a crypto news site: the biggest global sporting event of the decade is unfolding without a meaningful crypto presence. No major token sponsors. No blockchain-powered ticketing headlines. No fan token pumps making waves.
The beautiful game, minus the blockchain
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is the largest edition of the tournament ever staged. Spain’s path to the final continues a legacy that began with their first World Cup title in 2010.
But rewind to 2022, and the contrast is stark. That year’s World Cup in Qatar featured Crypto.com as an official sponsor. Algorand had a deal with FIFA itself. Fan tokens from Socios and Chiliz were everywhere, promising to revolutionize how supporters interacted with their clubs and national teams.
