The winners of the 2026 World Cup will be awarded championship rings in a historic first.
FIFA has announced that 30 members of the victorious team in Sunday’s clash between Spain and Argentina will be given one of 2,026 ‘bespoke championship rings’ created to commemorate this year’s tournament, alongside the iconic trophy and their gold medals.
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The remaining 1,996 will be made available to fans as an ‘official licensed product’ of the World Cup.
Such a move appears to be one last cash-grab for an already highly-commercialized tournament, which has featured controversial hydration breaks and is set for an extended halftime show during the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
The introduction of championship rings, branded ‘a new symbol of triumph’ by FIFA, takes direct inspiration from established American sporting traditions.
Super Bowl winners are famously awarded rings, as are the victorious teams in the NBA Finals and MLB’s World Series.
FIFA has confirmed the design of the new prize, which will feature the World Cup trophy on one side, and an ‘identity’ to reflect the winning team on the other.
Each ring will be individually numbered, custom-fitted and delivered with its own certificate of authenticity.
FIFA slammed for ‘Americanisation’ of World Cup with introduction of rings
During the trophy presentation on Sunday, the captain and head coach of the World Cup winning team will receive temporary rings to commemorate the occasion.
Each of the 30 rings for the winners will then be customised before being officially presented at a later date.
The decision to award rings to the World Cup winners has been slammed by fans, who believe the move is another step towards the ‘Americanisation’ of football, which caps a tournament hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
“No one asked for this. It’s football, not soccer,” one wrote on X.
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“Utter Yank nonsense,” another said.
“Disgusting American tradition,” a third wrote.
“Cringe as f***! Stop this Americanisation of the sport,” a fourth begged.
“It’s finally done, Infantino has turned our beautiful football into Americana,” a fifth concluded.
Donald Trump to present World Cup trophy in New York
Donald Trump will attend Sunday’s World Cup final in New York, the White House has confirmed.
“We look forward to the final match on Sunday, and I know the president looks forward to attending,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
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“This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had previously suggested Trump will hand the World Cup trophy to the winners at MetLife Stadium, and reiterated those plans in an interview this week, despite a potentially awkward moment if Spain are victorious.
“Hopefully we’ll present the trophy together in the final,” Infantino told Switzerland’s Blue Sport outlet.
“That’s always been the plan, and that’s how it’s always been done in the past — the president of the country where the final is held presents the trophy together with the FIFA president.”
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Trump has a history of attending big US sporting events, and has been seen at the Super Bowl, the US Open tennis tournament and the NBA finals during his two presidential terms.
He might now have the opportunity to present Spain or Argentina with the first World Cup rings, alongside the trophy, on Sunday.
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