The 2026 FIFA World Cup hasn’t kicked a single ball yet, and it’s already reshaping the intersection of sports and crypto. With the group stage draw scheduled for December 5, 2025, and the tournament itself set to begin on June 11, 2026, the expanded 48-team format is drawing attention far beyond the pitch.

NBC’s Steve Kornacki, the network’s chief data analyst best known for breaking down election maps, has turned his attention to World Cup matchups and long-shot contenders.

Prediction markets are having their World Cup moment

Pre-tournament betting volume across prediction markets has been estimated at roughly $2 billion.

Polymarket, the decentralized prediction platform that became a household name during the 2024 US election cycle, is among the platforms facilitating World Cup betting activity. The tournament’s expanded format, which adds 16 teams compared to the previous 32-team structure, creates more games, more matchups, and critically, more markets to trade.

FIFA has appointed ADI PredictStreet as its official partner for prediction markets, with the platform utilizing Chainlink oracles to verify outcomes. Chainlink acts as the trusted middleman that pulls real-world match results onto the blockchain, so smart contracts can settle bets without anyone having to trust a centralized operator.

Fan tokens and exchange deals signal institutional buy-in

Kraken has been designated as the official crypto exchange partner for the 2026 World Cup.

Chiliz, the blockchain network behind the Socios fan token platform, has seen notable on-chain activity as the tournament approaches. CHZ-powered fan tokens allow holders to participate in polls, access exclusive content, and engage with their favorite teams in ways that traditional merchandise never could.

The expanded format changes the calculus

The 2026 tournament marks the first time 48 nations will compete, organized into 12 groups of four. The three host nations, the US, Mexico, and Canada, have all been placed in Pot 1, which means they avoid the tournament’s highest-ranked opponents during group play. The USMNT landed in Group D, Mexico in Group A, and Canada in Group B.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw Saudi Arabia stun Argentina in the group stage. With 16 additional teams in the field, pre-tournament volume is already in the billions.

What this means for crypto investors

Chainlink’s role as the oracle provider for official prediction markets could drive sustained demand for its network services throughout the tournament. Whether that translates into meaningful price movement depends on how much of the $2 billion in estimated prediction volume actually flows through Chainlink-secured platforms versus centralized alternatives.

Kraken’s sponsorship is a customer acquisition play targeting the World Cup’s global audience. The exchange will be banking on converting casual sports fans into first-time crypto users.

Prediction markets exist in a gray area in many jurisdictions, and a high-profile tournament could attract attention from regulators who have already been scrutinizing platforms like Polymarket.