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FIFA President Gianni Infantino stood inside Trump Tower on July 18 and called the 2026 World Cup the greatest in history. He praised the Trump administration for delivering a “safe, secure, and joyful environment” for a tournament that drew 7 million fans into stadiums and billions more to screens worldwide.
Fan tokens heat up as the World Cup draws billions of eyeballs
Chiliz (CHZ), the blockchain network powering fan tokens for major sports organizations, saw its token surge approximately 28% around the tournament’s opening.
Fan tokens let holders vote on minor club decisions, access exclusive content, and unlock digital collectibles. When the biggest event in global sports kicks off, demand for that kind of engagement spikes.
The 2026 World Cup is the first co-hosted by three nations: the US, Canada, and Mexico. It’s the largest tournament FIFA has ever staged. FIFA’s own collectibles platform has migrated to an Avalanche-based blockchain, offering low transaction fees and high throughput.
Kraken steps into the spotlight as FIFA’s official crypto partner
Kraken, one of the oldest US-based crypto exchanges, is the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kraken’s deal positions it alongside traditional blue-chip sponsors, functioning as a customer acquisition play aimed at the global mainstream audience that follows soccer but has never opened a crypto wallet.
The Trump factor and what it means for crypto-friendly policy
Infantino’s praise for Trump isn’t just diplomatic theater. Trump is expected to present the World Cup trophy at the final on July 19. Financial disclosures revealed that Trump received $15,000 worth of FIFA tickets from Infantino.
The tournament hasn’t been without controversy. Reports surfaced of Trump intervening in a red-card review involving a US player, and a complaint was filed with the IOC regarding breaches of political neutrality by Infantino.
What this means for investors watching sports tokens
The 28% CHZ rally around the World Cup opening is instructive, but context matters. Fan tokens have historically been volatile around major tournaments, with sharp run-ups followed by equally sharp corrections once the event ends. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar produced a similar pattern.
FIFA chose Avalanche for its collectibles backbone. Kraken is spending real marketing dollars on stadium signage and broadcast placements. Fan token trading volumes correlate with match schedules. The specific tokens may be cyclical, but the trend of blockchain embedding itself into sports commerce looks increasingly permanent.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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