Listen to the article
The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has launched a new loyalty program that rewards fans with cryptocurrency through its official store app, making Croatia the first national football team to embed blockchain rewards directly into its fan engagement system.
HNS released a public statement on Tuesday in conjunction with blockchain company Kadena, which joined forces in February this year. The multi-year collaboration extends through major global football tournaments, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 UEFA Euro Cup.
The new feature went live on Tuesday, just two days before Croatia’s World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic on October 9 and ahead of its next match versus Gibraltar on October 12. According to the federation, the timing of the product’s debut is meant to increase fan enthusiasm as Croatia pushes toward qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
HNS Official Store app rewards go live
Under the new system, fans who make purchases through the HNS Official Store app, such as jerseys, scarves, or other merchandise, will automatically receive 1% of their spending back in VATRENI tokens.
The tokens, issued on Kadena’s blockchain network, are redeemable for team merchandise and VIP experiences. Future redemption options, such as match tickets, are expected to be added later, according to the federation.
Each participating fan will also have a digital wallet connected to their app account, where they can earn, receive, and store rewards without handling the technical aspects crypto requires at times.
The VATRENI token was first introduced as an ERC-20 asset on the Polygon network but has since migrated to Kadena’s blockchain via the Kinesis Bridge. Kadena’s technology, known for its scalable Proof-of-Work architecture called Chainweb, boasts of providing high transaction throughput with minimal fees.
The blockchain platform supports both its proprietary smart contract language, Pact, and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility that is currently in testnet, to make development accessible for mainstream applications.
“The goal with the VATRENI token is to push the boundaries of traditional fan engagement and introduce a future-focused experience,” denoted Joel Woodman, Kadena’s Head of Partnerships. “We’re working with our partners to integrate new technology into the Croatian Football Federation ecosystem, including AI tools, virtual experiences, and personalized activations.”
Croatia national team seeks fan engagement through digital tokens
During the Kadena partnership announcement in February, HNS President Marijan Kustić said the federation is responding to how fan behavior is leaning towards cryptocurrencies.
“The mission of HNS is to ensure the development of Croatian football for the future, aligned with trends not only in sports but also in society as a whole. Cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence have become part of everyday life, so we are keeping pace with that development through our VATRENI project.”
The HNS Official Store app is available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. Once logged in, fans can browse official merchandise and automatically receive crypto rewards for purchases without additional setup. Kadena’s system processes the blockchain transactions, so users do not need prior crypto experience to participate.
The partnership also includes promotional elements such as ticket giveaways and reward pools for app users. The federation expects the initiative to increase app downloads in the coming months, with projections of hundreds of thousands of wallets being created before the next World Cup is held next year in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
According to stats from ESPN, Croatia is leading Group L of the UEFA World Cup Qualifications, having won all four of their games against Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Czechia and Gibraltar.
Croatia is among a small but growing number of football organizations experimenting with blockchain-based fan programs. Several European clubs have released fan tokens in recent years, although HNS is the first national team to integrate crypto rewards directly into its official commerce platform.
Paris Saint-Germain’s fan token ($PSG) caught the interest of football fans during the 2024–25 season, particularly after the club won a treble including the UEFA Champions League trophy.