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The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is officially underway, and for the first time in the tournament’s nearly century-long history, a match has been played on Canadian soil. Canada faced Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto on June 12, finishing in a 1-1 draw. Cyle Larin’s goal gave the crowd something to cheer for.
This tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, spanning 104 matches across three host nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The field has expanded to 48 teams, up from 32 in the 2022 Qatar tournament.
Toronto will host six matches total, making it one of the key venues in the Canadian leg of the competition.
Crypto’s play for mainstream visibility
Kraken’s role as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter is the headline partnership. Chiliz, the company behind the fan token platform Socios.com, has been involved with FIFA-adjacent initiatives. Chainlink’s technology is also part of the picture, though the specific technical integration is less visible to the average fan.
Crypto.com famously paid $700M for naming rights to the former Staples Center in Los Angeles. FTX slapped its name on the Miami Heat’s arena before its collapse.
A FIFA Countdown Concert held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles shortly before the opening match served as a symbolic handshake between the sports and crypto worlds.
What this means for investors
Fan tokens, the category Chiliz pioneered, tend to see spikes in trading volume around major sporting events. The 2026 World Cup, with its expanded format and 104 matches spread over five weeks, creates a longer window for that dynamic to play out compared to previous tournaments.
For Kraken, the sponsorship is less about short-term token price action and more about customer acquisition, with the tournament reaching an estimated global audience of billions.
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