US Men’s National Team beats Australia 2-0 in World Cup as crypto brands circle FIFA’s biggest stage

The US Men’s National Team punched its ticket to the World Cup knockout rounds with a 2-0 victory over Australia at Seattle’s Lumen Field on June 19. An own goal by Australia’s Cameron Burgess and a header from Alex Freeman sealed the result in front of a sellout crowd.

Former Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and singer Ciara added some Hollywood wattage to the proceedings, returning to Lumen Field for the pre-match coin toss.

Kraken takes center stage as FIFA’s crypto partner

Kraken was announced as FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter on June 9, positioning itself as the tournament’s go-to digital asset brand just days before the opening matches.

The USMNT itself has no official crypto sponsorships or fan token partnerships. That’s a striking gap when you consider the broader tournament landscape, where blockchain integrations are woven into everything from ticketing to collectibles.

FIFA’s partnership with Modex introduced blockchain-based digital tokens called “Right to Buy” (RTB) through the FIFA Collect platform. These tokens give holders priority access to purchase tickets and exclusive merchandise, creating a speculative secondary market around the right to buy things rather than the things themselves. Early RTB sales reportedly generated between $10M and $35M, with thousands of tokens traded.

The USMNT’s conspicuous absence from Web3

While Kraken wraps its branding around the entire tournament, and FIFA Collect generates tens of millions from RTB tokens, the US national team stands out as one of the few high-profile squads without any direct crypto tie-ups. No fan tokens on Socios.com, no NFT collections, no exchange sponsorship on the training kit.

Chiliz, which operates the Socios.com fan token platform, has partnerships with numerous national teams and major clubs globally. Fan tokens let holders vote on minor team decisions, access exclusive content, and speculate on price movements tied to team performance. The USMNT hasn’t joined that ecosystem.

US Soccer may be wary of the regulatory complexity that comes with token launches in the American market, where the SEC has shown a willingness to scrutinize anything that smells like an unregistered security.

Meanwhile, an unofficial meme token labeled USMNTTOKEN has surfaced in the market. It has no affiliation with US Soccer, no utility beyond speculation, and exists purely because someone saw a branding vacuum and filled it with a smart contract.

What this means for investors watching the sports-crypto intersection

The $10M to $35M range in early RTB sales suggests that blockchain-based ticketing and access tokens can generate real revenue at scale. For Modex, this is a proof of concept that could extend well beyond soccer.

For Chiliz and the broader fan token market, the USMNT’s absence is both a risk and an opportunity. If US Soccer eventually launches a fan token, it would likely be one of the highest-profile additions to the Socios ecosystem, given the size of the American sports market.

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