FIFA World Cup 2026 gets a crypto sponsor as Kraken signs on and athlete tokens resurface

Two days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across North America, the tournament already has its first crypto storyline. FIFA announced Kraken as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter for the event on June 9, targeting fan experiences across North America and Europe. The partnership lands at a moment when athlete-linked tokens and football-adjacent digital assets are once again demanding attention.

Croatia’s Luka Modrić, the 40-year-old midfield maestro aiming for his fifth World Cup and potentially his 200th international cap during the tournament, sits at an unlikely crossroads of football and crypto. Several Solana-based meme tokens referencing Modrić have been trading in recent days, with one carrying a market cap of roughly $98K and trading volume under $200.

Kraken enters the FIFA orbit

Here’s the thing: this isn’t FIFA’s first foray into blockchain. Avalanche already serves as the governing body’s dedicated blockchain layer for digital initiatives. Chiliz, through its Socios.com platform, powers national-team fan tokens that let holders participate in polling and earn rewards tied to their favorite squads. Adding Kraken to the mix creates a multi-layered crypto infrastructure around the tournament that touches exchange services, fan engagement, and underlying blockchain rails.

Modrić’s crypto footprint

Modrić himself is no stranger to the digital asset world. Back in February 2022, the Croatian captain released a four-piece NFT collection on Ethernity Chain that featured metaverse-wearable jerseys.

The Solana-based meme tokens bearing Modrić’s name are a different beast entirely. These aren’t sanctioned products. They’re community-generated speculative instruments that ride waves of attention around major sporting events. A $98K market cap with negligible volume tells you everything about where these tokens sit on the legitimacy spectrum.

What this means for crypto investors

For Chiliz and its CHZ token, the expanded tournament format is a structural tailwind. More teams means more national fan token communities, more polling events, and more engagement loops.

The risk side of the ledger is equally clear. Football-themed tokens have historically been boom-bust instruments. The 2021-2022 cycle saw fan tokens from clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona spike on hype before losing the majority of their value. Investors chasing athlete meme tokens with sub-$100K market caps during a World Cup attention wave should know exactly what they’re signing up for: high volatility, thin liquidity, and no fundamental backing.

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