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England beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on July 1 in Atlanta, and the result was historic on two separate fronts, one sporting and one financial.
On the pitch, Harry Kane scored twice in the final 15 minutes to overturn a 1-0 deficit, giving England their first World Cup victory after conceding the opening goal since the 1966 final.
Off the pitch, the match unfolded inside a tournament where Kraken, the US-based crypto exchange, holds the title of Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of FIFA World Cup 2026. That deal, announced on June 9, 2026, is the first of its kind in FIFA history.
What actually happened in Atlanta
The DRC drew first blood inside seven minutes, putting England in familiar and uncomfortable territory. England have lost 17 of the previous 22 World Cup matches in which they conceded first. The 1966 final, where they came from behind to win, was the only prior exception.
Kane changed that math at the 75-minute mark with his first goal, then put England ahead for good in the 86th.
England attempted 35 crosses in open play, their highest volume in a World Cup match since 1966.
The match was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta as part of the first-ever 48-team World Cup.
Kraken’s FIFA deal and what it actually means for crypto
Kraken’s partnership with FIFA is a category-exclusive arrangement. The deal focuses on fan engagement and driving crypto adoption across North America and Europe.
What was notably absent from this match was meaningful trading activity in fan tokens tied to either England or DRC. The relative quiet around this particular match suggests the market for team-specific tokens has not yet found a durable floor.
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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