Mexico kicks off the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca against South Africa, and sportsbooks aren’t being subtle about who they think wins Group A. The co-hosts sit at roughly -140 odds to top their group, with prediction markets pegging their chances of advancing at 56-57%.

The Group A picture and why Mexico matters

The 2026 tournament marks a historic expansion to 48 teams, co-hosted across three nations: Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Mexico drew Group A alongside South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia.

The Estadio Azteca has hosted two previous World Cup finals, in 1970 and 1986. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Mexico’s opening match against South Africa doubles as the entire tournament’s opening fixture.

Kraken, Chiliz, and the crypto play

Kraken was named the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the tournament on June 9, 2026.

On the fan token front, the Chiliz ecosystem continues expanding its footprint in Mexican football. Chivas and Tigres, two of Mexico’s most popular club teams, have launched official fan tokens ($CHVS and $TIGRES) on the Chiliz platform.

Fan tokens give holders access to things like voting on minor club decisions, exclusive content, and community perks.

What this means for crypto markets during the tournament

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, fan tokens associated with participating nations saw significant volume spikes around key match days. Mexico’s -140 odds to win Group A are already being actively traded across multiple platforms.