FIFA has opened an investigation into VAR official Shaun Evans over a hand gesture made during the 2026 World Cup. The probe, confirmed by the governing body this week, is already casting a shadow over FIFA's high-profile crypto partnerships with Avalanche and Kraken.
The gesture in question
Evans, a video assistant referee on the tournament's roster, made the gesture after a disputed call in a group-stage match. Specific details of the gesture have not been publicly released by FIFA, but sources indicate it was captured by broadcast cameras and quickly circulated online. The incident has drawn internal scrutiny as FIFA reviews its conduct standards for match officials.
Why the crypto deals matter
FIFA signed multi-year sponsorship agreements with blockchain platform Avalanche and exchange Kraken ahead of the World Cup. Both firms were brought on to promote Web3 fan engagement and crypto payment services tied to the tournament. The partnership with Kraken, in particular, was framed as a way to introduce millions of global fans to digital assets. Any reputational fallout from the Evans investigation could put those contracts under a harsher spotlight.
Sponsorship-linked reputational risk is a sensitive subject for crypto companies, which have been burned before by association with controversies in traditional sports. Avalanche and Kraken have not commented publicly on the Evans probe.
What happens next
FIFA's disciplinary committee is expected to deliver a ruling within the next two weeks. Depending on the findings, Evans could face a suspension or be barred from further matches in the tournament. For FIFA, the calculus is uncomfortable: a clean, swift resolution would limit damage, but any whiff of a cover-up could revive questions about whether the organization is properly vetting its commercial partners—and whether those partners are comfortable staying on the pitch.
