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Qatar secures first World Cup point with draw against Switzerland as crypto sponsors circle the tournament
A dramatic 90th-minute equalizer gave Qatar its first-ever World Cup point, while crypto firms like Kraken and Chainlink deepen their footprint in the sport's biggest event.
Qatar waited four years to not lose a World Cup match. On June 13, the nation that went winless as host in 2022 finally picked up its first point in tournament history, drawing 1-1 with Switzerland at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Boualem Khoukhi’s equalizer in the 90+4th minute rescued Qatar from what looked like another quiet exit. The 67,966 fans in attendance watched Switzerland’s Breel Embolo convert a 17th-minute penalty, then sat through 73 minutes of mounting tension before Khoukhi’s late strike sent one half of the stadium into delirium.
From 2022 humiliation to 2026 history
In the 2022 World Cup on home soil, Qatar became the first host nation in the tournament’s modern era to lose all three group-stage matches. They managed a single goal across the entire competition.
Crypto’s growing World Cup footprint
On June 9, just days before the competition kicked off, Kraken was announced as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Chainlink’s oracle technology is being used to power prediction markets tied to the tournament, giving fans a blockchain-native way to engage with match outcomes. Meanwhile, Chiliz continues its push into fan tokens, and Avalanche has partnered to deliver digital collectibles.
What this means for investors
Chainlink’s role in powering prediction markets is arguably the most substantive integration of the bunch. If volume on those markets spikes during the tournament, it provides a real-world proof point for the broader prediction market thesis.
The Kraken sponsorship functions essentially as a customer acquisition cost. The relevant metric is whether Kraken sees meaningful sign-up and trading volume increases in the markets where the World Cup is being broadcast, particularly the US.
Tokens directly tied to these partnerships, CHZ, LINK, and AVAX among them, could see increased attention as the tournament progresses. Investors should watch for actual usage metrics: prediction market volumes, fan token trading activity, and collectible sales figures.