Erling Haaland’s World Cup debut echoes his father’s legacy, and crypto collectibles are riding the wave

Erling Haaland just did what the entire nation of Norway has been waiting 28 years to see. The Manchester City striker scored twice on June 16 as Norway dismantled Iraq 4-1 in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the country’s first appearance at the tournament since 1998.

The moment carries a layer of sentimentality that sports narratives are practically engineered for. Alf-Inge Haaland, Erling’s father, wore the Norwegian jersey at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, playing in matches against Mexico and Italy. Exactly 32 years later, his son stepped onto the same stage.

The Haaland effect on crypto collectibles

His Sorare NFTs, fantasy football cards minted on a blockchain platform, have previously sold for staggering sums. Some individual cards have fetched between $600,000 and $750,000, paid in ETH.

Sorare operates as a licensed fantasy sports platform where users buy, sell, and trade digital player cards. Each card is a unique token, and their value fluctuates based on real-world player performance.

Panini has announced official FIFA World Cup 2026 digital cards issued through its own blockchain platform. Haaland features prominently. Panini has been printing football stickers since the 1970 World Cup and is leveraging blockchain technology to verify authenticity and scarcity.

What history tells us about sports NFTs during major events

The broader NFT market has cooled considerably since the euphoria of 2021 and early 2022. Floor prices across most collections sit well below their all-time highs.

Haaland’s Sorare cards represent the premium tier of this market. Previous sales in the $600,000 to $750,000 range placed them among the most expensive sports NFTs ever traded.

What this means for investors

For Sorare specifically, the platform’s fantasy scoring mechanism means on-pitch performance has a near-real-time impact on card desirability.

Sports NFTs are essentially leveraged bets on human performance with an added layer of crypto market volatility on top.

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