Norway hasn’t been to a World Cup quarterfinal in 28 years. Now, with Erling Haaland leading the charge into a July clash against England at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, the football world is paying attention. So is the crypto market.

Solana-based meme tokens tied to the Norwegian striker and Viking culture have seen sharp surges in trading volume, riding the wave of global attention that comes with a cinematic underdog story.

Viking chants meet speculative charts

The tokens in question, $HAALAND and $VIKINGROW, are exactly what they sound like: meme coins built on hype rather than utility. Their trading volumes have spiked in direct correlation with Norway’s match results during the tournament.

The “Viking Row” chant, which Norway’s supporters have turned into a viral phenomenon across Miami Beach, has apparently done double duty as both a fan ritual and an informal marketing campaign for the $VIKINGROW token.

Haaland’s NFT market gets a second wind

The NFT market around football collectibles has seen renewed interest, particularly on Sorare, the fantasy football platform built on blockchain technology. Sorare lets you buy, sell, and trade digital player cards that function like traditional trading cards but live on the Ethereum blockchain.

Haaland’s digital collectibles on the platform have drawn fresh attention during the World Cup. One notable Haaland NFT previously sold for 265.1 ETH, which at the time was worth over $600,000. Trading volumes on Sorare have climbed during the tournament.

Sorare occupies a unique position in the NFT landscape because it combines actual game mechanics with collectibility. You’re not just buying a JPEG. You’re buying a card you can use in fantasy competitions.

Kraken’s big stage

Behind all the meme coin chaos and NFT trading sits a more institutional story. Kraken, the crypto exchange, is FIFA’s official crypto partner for this tournament cycle. That means the exchange’s branding is woven into broadcasts, stadium signage, and digital content reaching billions of viewers worldwide.

For Kraken, a Norway-England quarterfinal is close to a best-case scenario. Two European teams with massive, crypto-curious fan bases playing in Miami, a city that has aggressively positioned itself as America’s crypto capital.

Crypto exchanges have pulled back significantly on sports partnerships since the FTX collapse made the entire category radioactive. Kraken maintaining its FIFA relationship signals both financial health and a long-term bet that mainstream sports audiences remain the most efficient path to retail adoption.