Fox Sports taps Bob Bradley and ex-USMNT stars for 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcasts as FIFA doubles down on blockchain

Fox Sports is stacking its 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcast team with familiar American soccer faces, adding former US Men’s National Team coach Bob Bradley and a roster of ex-USMNT players to the lineup.

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the largest edition in tournament history with 48 teams competing.

FIFA’s quiet blockchain push

While Fox Sports focuses on traditional broadcast talent, FIFA has been building out its own digital infrastructure. FIFA Collect, the organization’s NFT and digital collectibles platform, has migrated to a new blockchain powered by Avalanche technology.

Recent FIFA Collect drops tied to the 2026 World Cup launched in May 2026, with collectible packs priced between $49 and $999.

No crypto exchanges have signed on as official sponsors for the 2026 tournament, which marks a shift from the trend we saw in previous years when firms like Crypto.com aggressively pursued sports partnerships.

The crypto assets orbiting the World Cup

Fan tokens, particularly those associated with Chiliz (CHZ) and its Socios platform, stand to benefit from increased attention as national team loyalties intensify during tournament play. Fan tokens function like digital membership cards that sometimes come with voting rights on minor team decisions, access to exclusive content, or simply bragging rights. Their trading volumes historically spike around major tournaments as casual interest in soccer drives new buyers into the market.

Then there’s the wilder side. Solana-based meme tokens and unofficial World Cup-themed coins tend to proliferate around major sporting events. These are almost entirely speculative instruments with no official licensing or utility.

The distinction matters for anyone thinking about putting money into World Cup-adjacent crypto. Licensed infrastructure like FIFA Collect and established fan token platforms operate within regulatory and licensing frameworks. Unofficial meme tokens do not.

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