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Six national teams have punched their tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the real scramble is just getting started. With 48 teams set to compete in what will be the largest World Cup ever staged, 26 qualification berths remain open, and the race to fill them is dragging an unlikely companion along for the ride: the crypto industry.
The tournament, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the US, has already attracted major crypto partnerships. And with fan tokens, NFT-based ticketing, and exchange sponsorships all circling the event, the 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be a proving ground for whether sports-crypto tie-ups can move beyond gimmick territory.
The biggest World Cup ever, explained
The jump from 32 to 48 teams is a 50% expansion, the most dramatic format change in World Cup history.
Canada, Mexico, and the US are automatically in as co-hosts. Teams like Iraq, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Turkiye, and Czechia have all secured qualification through play-off victories. By late March 2026, roughly 12 teams had confirmed their participation, leaving a significant chunk of the 48-team field still to be determined.
Matches will be spread across 16 cities in North America, with the tournament kicking off in June 2026 and running into July.
Kraken, FIFA Collect, and the crypto play
On June 9, 2026, Kraken was announced as FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter. The partnership focuses on enhancing fan experiences across North America and Europe.
FIFA Collect, the organization’s digital collectibles platform, launched National Teams Dynamic Collectibles on May 28, 2026. The platform features Right-to-Ticket NFTs, which give holders opportunities to purchase actual tickets to World Cup matches.
Platforms like Socios and Chiliz have been issuing tokens tied to national football teams, and tokens associated with teams like Argentina, Portugal, and Santos have seen increased attention as qualification narratives build.
What this means for crypto investors
The CHZ token, which underpins the Chiliz ecosystem powering most major fan tokens, is the obvious asset to watch. Heightened visibility from 48 teams instead of 32 means more national fan bases potentially engaging with token platforms.
Despite qualification headlines generating buzz, no major price spikes have been tied directly to qualification news, suggesting a more measured reaction from investors ahead of the major event.
For investors monitoring this space, a few things are worth tracking: trading volumes on fan token platforms in the weeks leading up to the June kickoff; the uptake of FIFA Collect’s RTT NFTs; and whether Kraken’s sponsorship translates into measurable user acquisition.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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