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The US Men’s National Team just punched their ticket to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a clean 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle. And yet, in the middle of what might be the biggest crypto-sports convergence in history, the USMNT doesn’t have a single cryptocurrency partner.
That’s a strange gap considering FIFA itself tapped Kraken as the official crypto exchange for the entire tournament, marking the first time a major cryptocurrency platform has held that role at a World Cup.
The match, the music, and the momentum
Cameron Burgess, an Australian defender, put the ball into his own net in the 11th minute, giving the Americans a lead they never relinquished. Alex Freeman doubled the advantage in the 43rd minute, and the scoreline held at 2-0.
The result means the US has advanced from the group stage with at least one match still to play. That’s a first in USMNT World Cup history, and it signals that coach Mauricio Pochettino has built something genuinely competitive.
Training footage that surfaced after the match showed the Argentine manager vibing with players to a Lainey Wilson country track during a session. The opening match against Paraguay had already drawn record domestic viewership.
Kraken has the FIFA deal, but the USMNT has no crypto partner
FIFA locked in Kraken as its official crypto exchange partner for the 2026 World Cup. That deal gives Kraken visibility across every match, every venue, every broadcast.
As of mid-June 2026, the USMNT has zero dedicated cryptocurrency sponsorships. No fan token deals. No partnerships with platforms like Socios.com or Chiliz, both of which have built entire businesses around tokenized fan engagement for soccer clubs and national teams.
Prediction markets have picked up some of the slack. Platforms like Polymarket have seen increased activity around World Cup outcomes, with bettors using crypto rails to wager on match results, group stage advancement, and tournament winners.
Why this matters for crypto investors
Crypto.com paid $700M for naming rights to the former Staples Center. Those deals demonstrated that sports audiences convert into platform users at meaningful rates.
For Chiliz and its CHZ token specifically, the absence of a USMNT fan token feels like a gap in the product roadmap. Fan tokens for clubs like Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have generated meaningful trading volume during peak moments of those teams’ seasons.
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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