The three most expensive national squads heading into the expanded 48-team tournament are all European, and crypto is quietly weaving itself into the backdrop
England’s squad heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup carries an estimated market value of €1.454 billion, roughly $1.43 billion. That makes England’s roster the most expensive collection of footballers at a tournament that kicks off June 11 across Canada, Mexico, and the US.
France and Spain aren’t far behind. France’s squad sits at approximately €1.46 billion, while Spain checks in between €1.37 billion and €1.41 billion, according to Transfermarkt-sourced valuations.
Who’s driving these numbers
At the top of the individual leaderboard sits Kylian Mbappé, valued at around €180 million, or roughly $217 million. Lamine Yamal, Spain’s teenage prodigy, carries a valuation in the $150 million to $217 million range. England’s Jude Bellingham is valued at approximately $152 million.
The concentration is overwhelmingly European. Only a small number of teams even crack the €1 billion mark, meaning England’s squad alone is worth more than most entire domestic leagues.
FIFA’s crypto play
FIFA announced Kraken as an Official Crypto Exchange Supporter on June 9, 2026. Chiliz and Avalanche are also partnered with FIFA to support fan tokens and NFTs tied to the tournament.
Teams like Argentina and Portugal already have fan tokens on the Chiliz platform, trading under tickers like $ARG and $POR. England, despite fielding the most valuable squad at the tournament, currently lacks a fan token on Chiliz.
What this means for crypto investors
For Chiliz specifically, the absence of an England fan token is both a risk and an opportunity. If England were to announce a token partnership before or during the tournament, it could generate a significant demand spike on the platform, given the size of England’s global fanbase.
Avalanche’s involvement is also worth monitoring. As a Layer 1 blockchain, its partnership with FIFA could drive adoption metrics like wallet creation and transaction volume, particularly if NFT collectibles tied to the tournament gain traction. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw FIFA experiment with digital collectibles, but the infrastructure and partnerships are more robust this time around.
Kraken’s role as an official exchange supporter signals continued institutional interest in using crypto rails for mainstream entertainment partnerships. The exchange gets exposure to billions of eyeballs across a month-long tournament.
