Kraken Named FIFA World Cup Crypto Partner as England Warm Up

England finished its World Cup 2026 preparations with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica on June 10 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. Goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon, and Ollie Watkins gave the team a clean sheet heading into the Group Stage opener against Croatia on June 11.

Four days earlier, England beat New Zealand 1-0 in Tampa on a Harry Kane goal, a quieter performance. Manager Thomas Tuchel rotated 22 players across the two friendlies, giving minutes to players competing for starting spots. Rio Ngumoha debuted as the 1,300th player to represent the England men's national team.

The same day England closed its warmup, FIFA announced Kraken as the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the 2026 World Cup. Kraken is one of the larger exchanges that has stayed operational through multiple market cycles without the high-profile collapses that hit FTX and others. The FTX deal with the Miami Heat's arena ended badly, and the crypto sponsorship space has cooled since. FIFA's choice of Kraken signals a more selective approach than the industry-wide splash of 2021-2022.

The tournament kicks off June 11. England opens Group Stage play against Croatia.