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Brazil hasn’t beaten a European team in a World Cup knockout match since Ronaldo put two past Oliver Kahn in the 2002 final. That’s not a typo. It’s been 24 years, six attempts, and six losses.
Now, as the Selecao prepare to face Norway in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the crypto market is paying close attention. The Brazil National Team Fan Token (BFT) climbed approximately 19% in the week leading up to the knockout stage and tacked on another 5% the day fixtures were confirmed.
The streak, the stakes, and the token
Here’s the thing about Brazil’s record since that 2002 triumph: it’s almost perfectly bifurcated. Against non-European teams in World Cup elimination rounds, Brazil is a flawless 7-0. Against UEFA sides, they’re 0-6. France, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Croatia, all have sent Brazil packing over the past two decades.
Norway, though, might be the opponent Brazil needed. The two nations have met four times previously, and Norway has never come away with a win.
Crypto’s biggest stage gets bigger
The 2026 World Cup is already a landmark event for the crypto industry. Co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this is the tournament’s first 48-team edition, meaning more matches, more eyeballs, and more potential for fan engagement through blockchain-based platforms.
More importantly, Kraken became the first-ever crypto exchange to sponsor a FIFA World Cup. FIFA sponsorships sit alongside Coca-Cola, Adidas, and Visa in the global marketing hierarchy. For context, the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France drew an estimated audience north of 1.5 billion people globally.
What this means for investors
Fan tokens are volatile by nature, and their price movements often correlate more with match results than with any fundamental on-chain metric. The 19% rally in BFT heading into the Norway game reflects genuine market enthusiasm, but it also introduces risk. If Brazil loses, which their 0-6 record against European teams in knockouts suggests is far from impossible, the token could retrace quickly.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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