Crypto’s vanishing act from World Cup sponsorships tells a bigger story than the scoreline
Croatia's loss to Portugal in the World Cup Round of 32 highlighted something investors should notice: crypto branding was nowhere to be found
Ivan Perisic gave Croatia fans a brief reason to dream on July 2, slotting home the opening goal against Portugal in the 54th minute of their World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash. The 37-year-old PSV Eindhoven winger finished a close-range shot off a cross from Josip Stanisic, putting Croatia up 1-0.
Portugal responded by scoring four unanswered goals. Croatia’s tournament ended with a 4-0 defeat.
The crypto sponsorship drought at the World Cup
Rewind to 2022 and the Qatar World Cup was practically wallpapered with crypto logos. Crypto.com had stadium naming rights. Binance was everywhere. Player-endorsed NFT projects like Sorare and FootballStars were riding peak hype cycles, turning athletes into walking billboards for token ecosystems.
Coverage of the Croatia-Portugal match contained zero references to crypto assets, protocols, or token sponsorships tied to any player on the pitch, including Perisic himself, who had historical connections to projects like FootballStars tokens and Sorare collectibles during their heyday.
What Perisic’s career arc reveals about the cycle
Perisic’s own trajectory mirrors the crypto-sports timeline in an almost poetic way. His peak international moments came during Croatia’s stunning run to the 2018 World Cup Final, where they finished as runners-up. That era predated the crypto sponsorship explosion.
By the time crypto endorsements hit their stride in 2021 and 2022, Perisic was cycling through clubs like Inter Milan and Tottenham, picking up the kinds of player-token affiliations that were standard for high-profile footballers. He joined PSV Eindhoven on a one-year deal in September 2024, well after the NFT and fan token markets had cooled significantly.
What this means for crypto investors
The regulatory environment has also tightened considerably since the last World Cup cycle. Multiple jurisdictions have cracked down on crypto advertising in sports, making it harder and more expensive for projects to secure the kind of visibility they once enjoyed. That regulatory friction, combined with post-FTX brand toxicity, has made sports organizations more cautious about which partners they accept.