The exchange became the official crypto supporter of the 2026 World Cup, arriving just as England's stars hit milestones in Arlington
FIFA named Kraken the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the 2026 World Cup, marking the first time a crypto exchange has secured that particular tier of sponsorship for the tournament.
The world’s most-watched sporting event, now expanded to a 48-team format across the US, Canada, and Mexico, just opened its doors to digital asset branding on one of the largest stages imaginable.
What happened on the pitch
England dismantled Croatia 4-2 in a Group L match played in Arlington, Texas. Kane scored twice, while Jude Bellingham and Rashford each added a goal to round out the attacking display.
For Kane, the brace brought him to 10 World Cup goals for England, putting him in rare historical territory for the national team.
Both players reaching 15 World Cup caps is the kind of longevity stat that sneaks up on you. Kane first appeared at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he won the Golden Boot. Eight years later, under Thomas Tuchel’s management, they’re still central figures in the squad.
England’s qualifying campaign was strong enough that the squad announcement in May 2026 came with few surprises.
Kraken enters the World Cup arena
On June 9, 2026, FIFA announced that Kraken would serve as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the tournament.
FIFA’s organization has historically been conservative with its sponsor categories, sticking to consumer electronics, airlines, and beverage companies. Adding a crypto exchange supporter tier suggests the governing body sees digital assets as a durable enough category to attach its brand to.
What this means for crypto investors
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar coincided with one of crypto’s darkest periods, so there isn’t a clean comparison point for measuring how a healthier market responds to this kind of global spotlight.
FIFA does extensive due diligence on its commercial partners. A crypto exchange earning that stamp of approval suggests that regulators in the host nations, particularly US regulators, are at minimum not hostile enough to make the deal untenable.
Kraken locking down this sponsorship tier means rival exchanges like Coinbase and Binance are shut out of the most prestigious sports property on Earth for this cycle.
Source: Crypto Briefing
