France punched its ticket to the 2026 World Cup final with a commanding semifinal victory over Spain in Dallas, powered by goals from Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise.

Mbappé’s tournament dominance by the numbers

Mbappé now leads the entire tournament with eight goals heading into the final. Dembélé and Olise have each contributed five goals and five assists, giving France one of the most prolific attacking trios in World Cup history. The betting markets had France favored at +120 to +127 against Spain before kickoff.

France is now chasing a third consecutive World Cup final appearance. For context, only Brazil has ever managed to appear in three straight finals, doing so from 1994 to 2002.

The crypto World Cup is running in parallel

Kraken was announced as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter in June 2026, giving it premium branding across the tournament. Avalanche, meanwhile, has been supporting FIFA’s blockchain initiatives focused on fan engagement.

Chiliz (CHZ), the token underpinning the Socios fan token ecosystem, surged 28% during the World Cup’s group stage as fan token activity spiked. Fan tokens for national teams and clubs see direct volume increases when those teams play high-profile matches.

Mbappé is both an ambassador and investor in Sorare, the fantasy football platform built on blockchain technology. Rare Sorare NFTs featuring Mbappé have sold for as much as $66,850.

Prediction markets are surging too

Platforms like Polymarket have seen increased trading volumes around key matches, with the France-Spain semifinal generating particularly robust activity. Onchain prediction markets offer transparency, composability, and the ability to trade positions before settlement. A bettor who took France at +120 before the semifinal could theoretically exit their position at a profit before the final whistle, depending on the platform’s liquidity dynamics.

What this means for investors

The 28% CHZ surge during group play supports the fan token thesis, though fan tokens historically give back gains once the event catalyst fades.

Kraken’s official partnership with FIFA, Avalanche’s blockchain infrastructure work, and Mbappé’s personal investment in Sorare all point toward a sports-crypto convergence that extends beyond any single tournament. Chiliz and Socios currently dominate the fan token market, but increased institutional interest could attract new entrants.