Beyond fake tickets, Lloyds and UK law enforcement have flagged a second avenue of tournament-themed fraud: crypto fan tokens linked to national teams, sold on platforms operating outside UK or US consumer protection rules. Fan tokens have a documented history of underperforming during major competitions despite pre-tournament hype, and their unregulated nature makes them easy to imitate. Previous tournament cycles produced copycat projects specifically designed to exploit the excitement — including a "World Cup Inu" token flagged for siphoning funds through hidden swap taxes — that follow the same basic structure as any rug pull: launch with tournament branding, attract speculative buyers, and disappear with the funds before the opening match ends.

UK lawmakers have already taken a formal position on the model. A House of Commons committee concluded that promoting fan tokens to football supporters puts fans at financial risk and could damage club reputations, a finding that reflects the broader concern about sports organizations lending credibility to financial products their fans are not equipped to evaluate. The risk profile for 2026 is higher than previous tournaments given the record demand and the elevated prices that have made the entire ticketing ecosystem feel like a high-stakes financial market rather than a consumer purchase. Lloyds is advising fans to avoid any token launch that rides tournament hype without a regulated issuer behind it — and with the opening match roughly a month away, the next wave of scam activity is already building.