FIFA names Kraken official crypto exchange supporter for 2026 World Cup

FIFA has named Kraken the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026. FIFA said the partnership will cover crypto awareness, fan engagement, and product experiences across North America and Europe.

The tournament will feature 48 teams, 104 matches, and 16 host cities across three countries.

Kraken partnership covers fan activations

Kraken will use the partnership to introduce football fans to digital asset products and education. FIFA said the agreement will bring fan-first activations to tournament audiences before and during the World Cup. The company will connect those programs to match viewing, football communities, and tournament events.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will run for seven weeks across North America. FIFA expects more than six billion cumulative viewers during the expanded tournament. The event will include the first 48-team format in World Cup history.

Kraken has operated for more than a decade and serves users in over 190 countries. The exchange will use the tournament platform to present crypto tools to football audiences. The company has not disclosed financial terms for the FIFA agreement.

FIFA links deal to tournament experience

FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai said the partnership fits the organization’s fan experience plans. FIFA has used commercial partnerships to add technology and consumer programs around major tournaments. The Kraken deal adds a crypto exchange partner to the World Cup 2026 sponsorship structure.

Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi described football as a shared global experience. He said the sport brings people together across borders, languages, and cultures. Sethi also said money should work with similar openness through smartphone access.

The partnership will begin public programming around the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert on June 10. The concert will take place across several cities as part of tournament preparations. After that event, Kraken plans activations in North America and Europe.

Crypto firms continue sports partnerships

Kraken has already worked with Tottenham Hotspur FC, Atlético de Madrid, and RB Leipzig. The exchange also has a Formula 1 partnership with Atlassian Williams Racing. Those agreements place Kraken across football and motorsport audiences before the World Cup.

The FIFA deal follows other crypto partnerships tied to sports and entertainment. Crypto companies have used teams, leagues, and major events to reach non-trading audiences. In this case, Kraken will focus on education, brand visibility, and product access around football.

FIFA has positioned the 2026 World Cup as its largest tournament by teams and matches. The competition will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Kraken’s World Cup programming starts with the June 10 countdown concert.