FIFA’s crypto bet gets a World Cup stage as USMNT advances despite Turkey loss
The US men's national team stumbles in its group finale but still tops Group D, while FIFA's new partnership with Kraken puts crypto front and center at the biggest sporting event on earth
The US men’s national soccer team lost 3-2 to Turkey on June 25 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The team had already clinched the top spot in Group D with six points, and the loss was roughly the sporting equivalent of resting your starters in a preseason game, except it counted on the official record.
FIFA announced Kraken as its first Official Crypto Exchange Supporter on June 9, and the ripple effects are showing up in fan-token trading activity across the tournament.
A group stage that went mostly to plan
The USMNT opened with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay on June 12. A clean 2-0 win against Australia on June 19 followed, putting the Americans at six points and effectively sealing their passage to the Round of 32 before the Turkey match even kicked off.
Turkey, already eliminated heading into the final group game, played with the freedom of a team with nothing to lose. The 3-2 result marked Pochettino’s first loss of the tournament.
Kraken, Chiliz, and the crypto layer underneath the World Cup
FIFA’s partnership with Kraken, announced just over two weeks before the tournament began, represents the governing body’s first formal embrace of a crypto exchange as a commercial partner.
Chiliz, the blockchain infrastructure behind most major sports fan-token platforms, has historically generated over $700 million in revenue for its sports partners. During this World Cup cycle, that ecosystem is seeing renewed interest.
Argentina’s fan token, ARG, has attracted notable trading volume during the tournament. The USMNT and Turkey, notably, don’t have significant fan tokens trading in the current market.
What this means for crypto investors
For traders specifically, fan tokens represent a niche but growing corner of the market. The ARG token activity during this World Cup suggests there’s real demand for sports-adjacent digital assets, especially during major tournaments when fan engagement peaks. Fan tokens have historically been volatile and tightly correlated with team performance and tournament cycles.
The Chiliz ecosystem’s $700 million revenue figure for sports partners provides useful context. Real money is flowing through these platforms, and the World Cup is functioning as a live advertisement for the entire model.