FIFA has confirmed that the winners of Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will get championship rings along with the World Cup trophy and gold medals. This decision shows how FIFA is adopting more American sports traditions.
On Saturday, FIFA announced that 30 custom-designed rings will be given to the winning team after the final at MetLife Stadium. The captain and head coach will get temporary rings during the celebrations, and personalized rings will be made later to honor the winning nation.
Championship rings are a tradition in major North American sports like the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, and NHL. However, this is the first time they will be given out at a FIFA tournament.
Each ring will have the FIFA World Cup trophy on one side and details unique to the champions on the other. There will be 2,026 individually numbered rings, with players receiving some and the remaining 1,996 available for fans to buy as official memorabilia.
Adding championship rings is the latest example of the tournament adopting American sports culture. Sunday’s final will also include a halftime entertainment show with celebrities, a feature usually seen at the Super Bowl rather than the FIFA World Cup.
FIFA has also introduced mandatory hydration breaks during the tournament. Each match includes three-minute cooling pauses around the 22nd and 67th minutes to help players handle the intense summer heat and humidity in North America.
FIFA says the breaks are meant to protect players’ health, but some players, coaches, and fans have criticized them. They argue the breaks disrupt the flow of the game and give coaches two extra chances to adjust tactics.
The cooling breaks have also opened up more commercial opportunities during matches. However, FIFA denies that the breaks were added to create more time for advertising.
About The Author
