Norway is going to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, and the country is doing it with a squad that looks nothing like the direct, physical team that last made the trip. Under manager Ståle Solbakken, who has been in charge since 2020, Norway qualified in November 2025 with a flexible, attack-minded 4-3-3 system built around some of Europe’s most coveted young talent.

But here’s the thing. While Norway prepares for its moment on the global stage, the tournament itself has become a showcase for something beyond football: crypto’s accelerating push into mainstream sports sponsorship. Kraken was named the official crypto exchange supporter of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a deal announced in June 2026 that places a major digital asset platform squarely at the center of the world’s most-watched sporting event.

A 28-year wait ends with modern football

Solbakken’s side plays a flexible 4-3-3 formation that prioritizes structured build-up play and rapid transitions. The qualifying campaign saw Norway clinch a spot in the expanded 48-team tournament.

Crypto meets the World Cup, but Norway stays on the sideline

Kraken’s role as the tournament’s official crypto exchange supporter is the clearest signal yet that digital asset firms see global sporting events as prime real estate for brand-building. Several national teams heading to the 2026 tournament already have fan tokens. Teams like Spain and Hungary have associated fan tokens traded on various platforms.

Norway, notably, has no fan token. No blockchain partnership. No crypto sponsorship of any kind tied to the national team.

What Kraken’s FIFA deal signals for the market

Crypto.com grabbed naming rights to the former Staples Center in Los Angeles. Coinbase sponsored the NBA, NFL, and NHL. Now Kraken is planted at the center of football’s crown jewel.

The fan token market represents a more speculative corner of the crypto-sports intersection. Tokens associated with World Cup-qualifying nations tend to see price spikes around major tournament milestones: qualification, group stage draws, and opening matches. The absence of a Norway fan token means there’s no direct crypto vehicle for speculating on Norwegian World Cup sentiment.

The investment angle nobody’s watching

Fan token volumes historically spike around tournament fixtures, and with a 48-team format creating more games than ever, the sustained engagement period is longer.