The 2026 FIFA World Cup is about to be held, but none of the seven FIFA global cooperation partners or the eight official 2026 World Cup sponsors include any cryptocurrency company. The crypto industry’s activity has shifted to regional sponsorship deals with national football associations, prediction markets, and FIFA’s own blockchain experiments.
Confirmed Crypto Sponsor Lineup for the Argentine FA
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has secured the following confirmed crypto collaborations during the 2026 World Cup cycle:
LBank signed a multi-year regional sponsorship agreement in September 2025 and launched a $100 million prize pool;
Ant International became the official regional sponsor for the Asian region of Argentina’s national team in March 2026, and received promotional licensing to use AFA intellectual property across its brands (Alipay+、Antom、Bettr、WorldFirst); Nexo was designated in April 2026 as an official regional digital asset partnership partner;
BTCC, ATFX, and Deepcoin also obtained regional partner qualifications;
Socios.com remains the exclusive issuer of $ARG fan tokens;
Chiliz/Socios.com has also established official partnerships with multiple football associations of teams that have qualified.
ADI Predictstreet’s First Official Partnership with FIFA for a Prediction Market
FIFA selected ADI Predictstreet as the official prediction market cooperation partner for the 2026 World Cup. This is the first time FIFA has granted global official partner status for the prediction market category. ADI Predictstreet’s deployment is supported by institutional-level blockchain infrastructure on ADI Chain.
Polymarket and Kalshi, without FIFA official authorization, continue to provide World Cup-related prediction markets, and World Cup champion prediction contracts remain in focus on both platforms.
FIFA’s Own Blockchain Activities and the Concept of a FIFA Token
In May 2025, FIFA announced that it is developing its own custom Layer-1 blockchain on the Avalanche platform, mainly for digital collectibles and engagement among global football fans, and the FIFA Collect digital collectibles platform has also been migrated to the new blockchain.
Gianni Infantino has raised the idea of a “FIFA token” or “FIFA coin” on two occasions: the White House crypto summit in March 2025 and the World Freedom Forum at the Mar-a-Lago estate in February 2026. As of the time of reporting, specific details or an issuance schedule for the FIFA token plan have not been officially released.
FAQ
Why couldn’t crypto companies become FIFA’s official sponsors?
In the lists of FIFA’s seven global cooperation partners and eight official 2026 World Cup sponsors, no cryptocurrency company has been confirmed. However, FIFA has not issued an official explanation regarding this. As a result, crypto brands’ promotional activities have shifted to regional sponsorship agreements and unofficial channels across national football associations, including prediction markets and themed promotional campaigns.
What type of official FIFA authorization did ADI Predictstreet receive?
ADI Predictstreet received FIFA’s “official prediction market cooperation partner” status for the 2026 World Cup. This is FIFA’s first-ever global partner status for the prediction market category, and its infrastructure is deployed on the institutional-level blockchain of ADI Chain.
What progress has the FIFA token made so far?
FIFA president Infantino has mentioned the “FIFA token” concept twice at public events in March 2025 and February 2026, but as of the time of reporting, FIFA has not released any official roadmap, technical specifications, or issuance schedule for this plan.
