Through an eleventh-hour sponsorship deal, global soccer's governing body FIFA has added another brand to the partner stable for its upcoming men's World Cup.
Kraken, the prominent cryptocurrency platform, has become the official crypto exchange supporter of the 48-team 2026 tournament, set to run between June 11 and July 19, and taking place across Mexico, the US, and Canada.
A deal to that effect between FIFA and Kraken's parent company Payward was unveiled today and will entail Kraken working with the organization on a series of activations and product experiences throughout the five weeks of the tournament, aiming to "connect supporters with the World Cup in new and engaging ways."
The partnership kicks off with Kraken having a presence at a series of concerts and other entertainment events that will be held across all three host countries on the eve of the World Cup (July 10).
In terms of FIFA's relationship with cryptocurrency, the Crypto.com platform acted as a sponsor of the 2022 World Cup.
Romy Gai, chief business officer at FIFA, has commented: "Innovation has always played a central role in how FIFA evolves and enhances the fan experience. As we prepare to welcome the world to the biggest FIFA World Cup in history, we are delighted to partner with Kraken, an organisation that shares our commitment to innovation and technology."
Late-stage commercial activity around this World Cup, meanwhile, has included FIFA bringing in Inter Rapidisimo, a Colombian courier and logistics brand, as a tournament supporter, as well as adding customer relationship management provider Salesforce to the same category (a lower tier of tournament partner) last week.
In terms of Kraken's other sports sponsorship agreements, it is also a partner of Formula 1 motor racing team Williams, and has been since the 2023 campaign.
The firm has also previously partnered with top-division soccer clubs Tottenham Hotspur (England) and RB Leipzig (Germany), both deals struck when the cryptocurrency boom was at its peak two years ago.
