Argentina fans celebrate in Dhaka ahead of 2026 World Cup debut as crypto partnerships reshape tournament

Thousands of Argentine football fans flooded the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, draped in the blue and white of the defending world champions. Their destination: communal viewing spots to watch Argentina’s opening Group J match against Algeria on June 16.

Bangladesh hosts one of the largest non-Argentine fanbases for the national team, a phenomenon that exploded after the 2022 World Cup triumph.

Kraken breaks new ground with FIFA

On June 9, just one week before the tournament kicked off, Kraken was named FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter. It’s the first time a cryptocurrency exchange has held such a designation for a World Cup.

The partnership focuses on fan engagement across North America and Europe, two regions where both crypto adoption and World Cup hosting duties overlap. The 2026 tournament is being held across the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Fan tokens and blockchain infrastructure

Kraken isn’t the only crypto entity circling the World Cup. Chiliz, the company behind the Socios fan token platform, continues to manage fan tokens for multiple national teams, including Argentina.

These tokens give holders voting rights on minor team decisions and access to exclusive rewards.

Meanwhile, Avalanche has been designated to host the FIFA Blockchain layer, supporting various digital initiatives during the tournament. This infrastructure could underpin everything from digital collectibles to verification systems for tickets and merchandise authentication.

Why Dhaka matters more than you think

No specific crypto tokens or NFTs are currently tied to the Dhaka celebrations themselves, which arguably represents a gap in the market.

What this means for investors

Fan tokens have historically exhibited sharp price volatility around major tournaments. The pattern is predictable: prices climb in the weeks before a tournament, spike during dramatic matches, and typically deflate once a team is eliminated. The 2022 cycle saw multiple fan tokens lose significant value after post-tournament hype faded.

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