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FIFA unveils new format and rules for 2026 World Cup, and crypto is along for the ride
The expanded 48-team tournament brings anti-time-wasting rules, tech upgrades, and a Kraken partnership that puts crypto front and center on the world's biggest stage
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, kicking off June 11 and running through July 19, is getting the biggest structural overhaul the tournament has seen in decades. FIFA and the International Football Association Board have announced sweeping changes to the Laws of the Game, expanded the field to 48 teams, and signed Kraken as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the event.
The rule changes: five seconds or else
Throw-ins and goal kicks will now operate under a five-second countdown. Injured players will be required to leave the field for medical assessment, and substitutions get a strict 10-second window to complete. Behavior penalties are also getting an upgrade, with FIFA targeting discriminatory actions more aggressively.
48 teams, 104 matches, and a format that changes everything
The tournament itself is scaling up significantly. The field expands from 32 teams to 48, organized into 12 groups of four. That translates to 104 total matches, up from the 64 that defined the previous format. The World Cup hasn’t changed its team count since 1998, when it jumped from 24 to 32.
Kraken, Avalanche, and the crypto play
On June 9, FIFA announced that Kraken will serve as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the 2026 World Cup. The partnership includes fan activations and educational initiatives across host cities. The FIFA Blockchain, which runs on Avalanche’s technology, facilitates digital collectibles and ticket-related redemptions. The FIFA Blockchain recently saw a 761% increase in transaction activity over a single week.
What this means for crypto investors
Industry experts have suggested that the tournament could generate between $5 billion and $10 billion in consumer volume for prediction markets alone. The Avalanche connection is worth watching closely, as the FIFA Blockchain’s transaction growth creates a real-world usage narrative for AVAX beyond DeFi. Kraken’s positioning as one of the older and more compliance-focused exchanges signals that major sports organizations are increasingly comfortable with crypto partners that prioritize regulatory standing.