Step aside football—crypto is coming to futbol.
Crypto exchange Crypto.com will be an official sponsor of this year’s FIFA World Cup, which will take place in Qatar from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18. It is the only cryptocurrency trading platform that will sponsor the event.
The news comes on the heels of the NFL opening up sponsorship opportunities for blockchain-related brands, although the league is forbidding the use of the words “crypto” and “cryptocurrency” to describe the partnerships. The crypto space has been heavily invested in reaching mass audiences as of late, and sports offer sizable pools from which to draw interest.
From tennis to Formula One, crypto exchanges like Crypto.com, FTX and Coinbase have struck deals with athletes, as well as acquired the naming rights for multiple arenas. Such efforts reached a fever pitch during this year’s Super Bowl, which saw commercials from each of these brands and significant chatter online.