Crypto.com will sponsor 2022 FIFA World Cup
Cryptocurrency space continues to invest in sports for mainstream attention.
UsenB
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.
As a sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, Crypto.com will have significant branding exposure in and outside of the tournament’s stadiums. It will also give its customers opportunities to attend the matches during the event and win exclusive merch.
Previously, Crypto.com has teamed with LeBron James on multiple campaigns, including its Super Bowl ad. There was also a spot starring Matt Damon that received backlash on social media after the actor compared cryptocurrency to historical events like scaling Mt. Everest. The brand also has naming rights to the Los Angeles-area arena formerly known as the Staples Center.
Other examples of crypto investment in professional soccer include Crypto.com’s sponsorship of French club Paris Saint-Germain, blockchain Tezos’ sponsorship of English club Manchester United and platform Voyager Digital’s partnership with the National Women’s Soccer League.
Over 3.5 billion people tuned into the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia on TV, out of home or on a digital platform, according to an audit conducted by the FIFA organization. The final game had 1 billion viewers worldwide.
