Most chances created at the 2026 World Cup, and why crypto markets are paying attention

The 2026 World Cup is barely underway and the analytics nerds are already having their moment. Declan Rice sits atop the chances created leaderboard with 10, level with Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande.

That stat line matters beyond the pitch. In a tournament where 48 teams are competing for the first time, performance metrics have become a gateway for an entirely different kind of market: fan tokens and crypto-driven engagement tied directly to on-field results.

The on-field picture

Hakimi, the PSG full-back, brings his chances from Morocco’s typically dynamic wing play. Diomande represents an Ivory Coast side that qualified as African champions. The fact that all three are tied at the top tells you something about how wide open this expanded tournament has been.

Where crypto meets the World Cup

Kraken became the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the 2026 World Cup on June 9, just two days before the tournament kicked off on June 11.

Chiliz, the platform behind most national team fan tokens, has been one of the primary beneficiaries. CHZ, the native token powering the Chiliz ecosystem, has rallied 28% since the tournament began. That price movement correlates with match outcomes and the broader surge in fan engagement that accompanies every World Cup cycle, except this time the engagement is tokenized.

Fan tokens for national teams like Argentina and Portugal have seen increased trading activity and market interest during the tournament.

Chiliz has also introduced what it calls the “Burn to Glory” program. The mechanics are straightforward: token burns start at 1% of treasury holdings per national team win and scale up to 10% for the final. In English, that means the supply of tokens shrinks as teams advance, creating artificial scarcity that theoretically pushes prices higher.

Beyond Chiliz, the tournament has also attracted Avalanche-powered collectibles and a wave of meme tokens on the Solana network themed around World Cup narratives.

What this means for investors

The regulatory environment has shifted in ways that help. Fan tokens are increasingly being classified as collectibles rather than securities, which opens the door to broader marketing and distribution. That distinction matters enormously. Securities classification means compliance headaches, restricted access, and limited marketing. Collectible classification means fan tokens can be sold more like trading cards than investment contracts.

For traders, the Chiliz “Burn to Glory” model creates predictable catalysts. Every match is a potential supply shock for the winning team’s token. An early elimination can crater a fan token’s value just as quickly as a quarterfinal win can inflate it.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.