Morocco’s World Cup run highlights crypto’s growing grip on global soccer
The country's rise from underdog to contender mirrors a broader shift where diaspora talent and digital finance are reshaping the beautiful game's economics
Morocco just knocked the Netherlands out of the 2026 World Cup in a penalty shootout. Morocco reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first Arab and first African team ever to get that far.
The diaspora playbook
Achraf Hakimi, arguably the team’s biggest star, came through Real Madrid’s legendary La Fabrica academy. Hakim Ziyech developed at Ajax before moving to Chelsea. These players were born to Moroccan families living in Europe, trained by European clubs, and then chose to represent Morocco internationally.
Morocco invested heavily in the Mohammed VI Football Academy to create a domestic pipeline of talent. The real strategic masterstroke was building relationships with European-born players of Moroccan descent, convincing them that wearing the Atlas Lions jersey was worth more than waiting for a call-up from France or the Netherlands.
Nearly 30% of players at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations were born outside Africa. With Morocco set to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, the country’s model is becoming the standard that federations across the continent are studying.
Where crypto enters the picture
Kraken was named the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026, a sponsorship deal focused on fan interaction across the US and Europe.
Bernstein estimates that the 2026 World Cup could generate up to $10 billion in consumer betting and prediction market volume. The expanded tournament format will feature 48 teams instead of 32, meaning more games, more matchups, and more betting opportunities.
What this means for crypto investors
The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Kraken’s sponsorship deal positions it to acquire users during a period of massive global attention. Platforms like Polymarket demonstrated during the 2024 US election cycle that real-money prediction markets can attract enormous volume when the events are high-profile and emotionally charged.
Investors watching the intersection of crypto and sports should be tracking how Kraken’s World Cup activation translates into user acquisition metrics and whether prediction market volumes spike during tournament windows.