US men’s national soccer team wins World Cup opener 4-1 against Paraguay, and crypto is all over the tournament

The US Men’s National Team kicked off its home World Cup campaign with a 4-1 demolition of Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12. It was the first time the US hosted a World Cup match since 1994.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and features a record 48 teams.

Crypto’s World Cup play

Kraken has been named the official crypto exchange supporter of the tournament.

Chiliz, the blockchain platform behind the CHZ token and the Socios fan token ecosystem, is active throughout the tournament. Chainlink-powered prediction markets are also in play for the tournament.

On the more speculative end, Solana-based meme tokens themed around the World Cup have been trading as well. Assets like FWC26 and other unofficial FIFA-themed tokens are circulating with no official backing.

What investors should watch

Trading volume around fan tokens and sports-adjacent assets tends to correlate with tournament progress. Kraken securing an official role with FIFA signals to regulators, traditional finance players, and mainstream consumers that crypto companies can operate as credible partners to the world’s largest sporting organizations. Unofficial World Cup-themed assets on Solana and other chains will likely see volume spikes during high-profile matches, but these are momentum trades with limited fundamentals.

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