Fan Tokens & Digital Payments: How the 2026 World Cup Could Accelerate Financial Inclusion

July 2026

Fintech & Payments

Thomas Wilson

Senior Research Analyst

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be more than the biggest tournament in football history. It is also becoming a powerful showcase for how fan tokens, fintech and digital payments can bring millions of supporters closer to the financial system.

As the tournament expands to 48 teams, and reaches audiences across the world, it arrives at a time when digital wallets, instant payments and tokenised financial services are far more embedded in everyday life than they were at the last iteration of the World Cup four years ago. That matters because the fan experience is no longer limited to ticket purchases and merchandise; it increasingly includes loyalty schemes, mobile apps, digital assets and new forms of digital engagement.

A New Kind of Fan Economy

One of the clearest shifts is the rise of fan tokens. They are blockchain-based digital assets that fans usually buy through a crypto app or exchange; often by first purchasing a base token, or supported currency and then swapping into the fan token itself. Once bought, they can be held or traded, but their main purpose is to unlock fan-related perks such as voting in polls, accessing exclusive rewards, and getting closer to a team or event.

Visualisation of Fan Token Ecosystem

Source: Zipmex

This evolution is helping create a new sports economy in which fans become active participants rather than passive consumers. This is important for financial inclusion, as it opens the door for people who may have had limited engagement with formal financial services to interact through wallets, apps and digital payment tools instead.

Why the World Cup Matters for Inclusion

The World Cup’s financial impact is especially relevant in regions where gaps in access to traditional banking remain significant. There exists an opportunity for fintechs, payment processors, investment platforms, and wealth managers to bring various financial services to masses of people who, historically, have had limited engagement with formal financial systems. This is true in Latin America in particular, where smartphone use and digital payments are growing quickly, even as financial inclusion gaps persist.

That makes the tournament a useful gateway for fintech firms and payment providers. By meeting fans on mobile devices, in digital communities, and through simple payment experiences, essentially where they already are, these companies can help widen access to financial tools without requiring people to start with a traditional bank relationship.

Uncertainties around consumer demand may be why Mastercard’s expansion is targeting a slightly different segment: machine-to-machine payments. Agent Pay for Machines (AP4M), introduced last week, will power automated microtransactions that happen in the background of digital commerce. For example, a logistics AI agent could pay for loading-bay access and settle warehouse handling fees automatically throughout the lifespan of a shipment.  Mastercard will settle payments across multiple rails, including cards, bank accounts, and stablecoins. 

Digital Payments at Scale

The 2026 World Cup is also proving to be a major stress test for digital payment infrastructure. Millions of visitors are making cross-border transactions, booking travel, buying merchandise and using mobile payments, which puts digital wallets, remittance services and foreign exchange providers firmly in the spotlight.

This is where the broader UK policy context becomes relevant. The UK government has recently set out plans to modernise payments regulation, support tokenised payments and prepare for new forms of digital financial activity, including AI-driven payments. That direction of travel reinforces the idea that tokenisation, wallets and digital payment rails are no longer niche innovations; they are becoming part of the mainstream financial landscape.

What Fintech Firms Can Learn

For fintechs, the opportunity is not just to process payments more efficiently, but to create better access points into the financial system. Fan tokens package digital ownership, engagement, and payments into a simple mobile-first experience that feels more accessible than traditional finance, especially for people who are already active in sports communities. They can introduce users to wallets, digital assets and online transactions through a familiar interest (their favourite team), rather than through a bank-led product journey.

The real lesson from the 2026 World Cup is that financial inclusion is increasingly being driven by everyday digital experiences, not only by formal banking policy. When sport, payments, and digital ownership converge, they can create a more accessible financial ecosystem for fans, especially in markets where mobile-first behaviour is already deeply established.

Looking at the bigger picture, the 2026 World Cup may ultimately be remembered not only for its scale, but for how it accelerated the blending of entertainment and finance. Fan tokens and digital payments are helping turn supporters into active digital participants, while also expanding access to financial services in ways that feel natural and relevant.

For the payments industry, that makes the tournament more than a sporting event. It is a live demonstration of how financial inclusion can be advanced through digital engagement, tokenisation and simple, mobile-first payment experiences.