Spain lifted the World Cup trophy on July 19, edging Argentina 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. But for the crypto industry, the real scoreline was measured in wallet connections, not goals.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which ran from June 11 through July 19 across three host nations, was the first edition to feature 48 teams and a record 104 matches. It was also, by a wide margin, the most crypto-integrated sporting event in history.
Crypto’s front-row seat
Kraken was named the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the tournament on June 9, just two days before the opening whistle.
FIFA Collect, the governing body’s digital collectibles platform, had migrated to the Avalanche blockchain following developments after May 20, 2025. By the time the tournament kicked off, the platform was running on Avalanche’s infrastructure, giving fans a blockchain-native way to engage with officially licensed content throughout the six-week event.
