France takes early lead over Norway in 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage

France wasted no time making their intentions clear on June 26, 2026, when Ousmane Dembélé put the ball in the net just seven minutes into their 2026 FIFA World Cup group-stage match against Norway.

Dembélé struck again in the 20th minute, doubling France’s advantage and putting Les Bleus firmly in control. Norway pulled one back through Thelo Aasgaard in the 21st minute, making it a more competitive affair.

Mbappé, Haaland, and the Golden Boot race

Kylian Mbappé came into the fixture having scored four goals in the tournament, and Erling Haaland arrived with the same tally. Two of the most lethal forwards in world football, on the same pitch, both chasing the Golden Boot.

Kraken, crypto, and the World Cup

Kraken was named FIFA’s official crypto exchange supporter for North America and Europe on June 9, 2026, giving the exchange prominent association with the biggest sporting event on the planet.

The 2026 World Cup is being held across North America, the two regions where Kraken’s partnership specifically applies.

FIFA has also been exploring the Avalanche blockchain for digital collectibles, suggesting the organization is not treating crypto as a single-partnership checkbox but as a broader strategic direction.

Chiliz, the network that powers fan tokens for major sports clubs and organizations, continues to operate in the background of tournaments like this one. Fan tokens allow supporters to vote on minor club decisions and access exclusive content. No specific fan tokens tied directly to the France versus Norway fixture were reported as significant movers around the match.

Fan tokens’ value tends to correlate with team performance and fan sentiment rather than any underlying utility, which makes them highly volatile around major matches.

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