Norway qualifies for 2026 World Cup as Kraken becomes official tournament sponsor

Norway secured a place in the expanded 48‑team 2026 FIFA World Cup, its first appearance since 1998, after an unbeaten qualifying run under manager Ståle Solbakken. The squad, built around striker Erling Haaland and midfield playmaker Martin Ødegaard, will compete in the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The event also marks a milestone for cryptocurrency in sports: crypto exchange Kraken was announced as the World Cup's official crypto sponsor. While several nations have launched fan tokens tied to the tournament, Norway has not issued a fan token or any direct crypto partnership, keeping its team free of blockchain sponsorships.

The combination of Norway's return to the world stage and the high‑profile crypto deal highlights the growing intersection of football and digital assets, with potential market effects around match‑day token trading for other participating countries.