This World Cup, the first to feature an expanded 48-team format, has also become the largest experiment in marrying blockchain technology with live global sports.

FIFA’s crypto strategy for 2026 rests on two pillars. The first is Kraken, which holds the title of official crypto exchange for the tournament. The exchange has been running promotions tied to match days since mid-June, positioning itself as the go-to on-ramp for fans who want to engage with the tournament’s digital layer.

The second pillar is the FIFA Blockchain itself, built on Avalanche. This is the infrastructure powering FIFA Collect, the platform where fans can buy, sell, and trade digital collectibles tied to the tournament. The collectibles are dynamic NFTs that can change based on real-world match outcomes.

More than 85,000 unique addresses have registered on FIFA Collect so far. The platform also offers something called “Right to Ticket” NFTs, which are linked to specific match categories. Matchday 5 in Boston, for example, had a Category 1 NFT tied to it.

TRM Labs, the blockchain intelligence firm, has flagged the presence of World Cup-themed memecoins that raise serious concerns about fan safety. One token called WORLDCUP has been identified as particularly problematic.

Exchanges like LBank have also been running their own World Cup promotions, including VIP matchday experiences for specific games.

The direct price impact of Matchday 5, or any individual match day, on associated tokens has been negligible so far.

The 85,000 addresses on FIFA Collect represent a meaningful user acquisition channel for the Avalanche ecosystem. Kraken’s sponsorship is also worth tracking. Coinbase’s Super Bowl ad in 2022 drove millions of app downloads in a single evening.

NFT activity has ticked upward alongside the tournament’s start. Sports NFTs have a brutal track record of spiking during events and cratering afterward. NBA Top Shot moments lost over 90% of their value from peak to trough.

TRM Labs flagging World Cup-themed tokens early is a good sign that the industry’s compliance infrastructure is maturing, but it won’t stop every retail investor from chasing a token called WORLDCUP into oblivion.