The 2026 FIFA World Cup was, by any measure, a logistical colossus. Some 1,039 players representing 48 nations competed across 16 venues, producing 308 goals and the kind of global attention that money genuinely cannot buy. Crypto companies noticed, and they showed up.
Kraken, Avalanche, and the infrastructure play
Kraken secured the title of Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the 2026 World Cup, a designation that put its brand in front of the largest single sporting audience on the planet. The partnership went beyond logo placement, extending into fan activations and product integrations throughout the tournament.
The more technically interesting move came from Avalanche. FIFA used Avalanche’s blockchain to power its ticketing system, with the explicit goal of reducing scalping. Every ticket was issued and tracked on-chain, making it significantly harder for bots and resellers to flip seats at multiples of face value.
Fan tokens, memecoins, and $50B in prediction markets
