Crypto firms bet big on 2026 World Cup as USMNT coach channels ‘Miracle’ energy

Mauricio Pochettino, the man tasked with turning the US Men’s National Team into credible World Cup contenders on home soil, has been watching Disney movies for tactical inspiration. Specifically, Miracle, the 2004 film about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team that stunned the Soviet Union in one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

The Argentine coach referenced the film’s themes of unity and collective belief over raw individual talent as he prepares his squad for a friendly against Paraguay.

Where blockchain meets the beautiful game

The 2026 World Cup will be the largest edition in tournament history, expanding to 48 teams from the previous 32. The US is co-hosting alongside Canada and Mexico, marking the country’s first time staging matches since 1994.

Crypto exchange Kraken and blockchain platform Chiliz are among the digital asset companies investing heavily in sponsorship deals tied to the tournament and the USMNT.

Chiliz, the company behind the Socios fan token platform, has been particularly aggressive. Fan tokens, which give holders voting rights on minor club decisions and access to exclusive experiences, have become a fixture of European football. The World Cup gives Chiliz a stage to push that model to a US audience that largely hasn’t encountered it yet.

Pochettino’s expensive homework assignment

Pochettino was appointed USMNT head coach in August 2024, reportedly on a multi-year deal worth around $6 million annually. His resume includes stints at Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea.

Pochettino has spoken about being moved by the player dynamics depicted in Miracle, where coach Herb Brooks famously told his players they weren’t good enough individually to beat the Soviets but could win as a team.

What this means for crypto investors

The 2026 World Cup spans weeks, not hours. It reaches billions of viewers across every continent. And it arrives at a moment when the crypto industry is attempting to rebuild its reputation after the collapses and fraud convictions that defined 2022 and 2023.

For fan token projects specifically, a successful World Cup integration could validate the model in the world’s largest sports market. If Chiliz can demonstrate meaningful fan engagement through token-gated experiences during the tournament, it would provide a proof of concept that has eluded the platform in the US so far.

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