FIFA to Introduce Super Bowl-Style Championship Rings for World Cup Winners

Football is getting a distinctly American makeover. FIFA has announced that the winners of Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will be awarded "bespoke championship rings" alongside the iconic golden trophy and traditional gold medals.

The decision marks the first time championship rings, which are a classic North American sports tradition famously seen in the NFL, NBA, and MLB, will be introduced to the global game. While FIFA bills the move as "bringing one of the most recognisable American sporting traditions to the global game" and "a new symbol of triumph", football purists are far from pleased.

The rings are part of a highly commercialized final package at MetLife Stadium that also features an NFL-style halftime show—headlined by Madonna, Shakira, and Justin Bieber—which is expected to stretch the traditional 15-minute halftime break to nearly 30 minutes.

How the Ring Distribution Works

To commemorate the 2026 tournament, a limited run of exactly 2,026 individually numbered, custom-fitted rings will be created.

During Sunday's trophy presentation, the winning captain and head coach will receive temporary rings. Thirty permanent, custom rings will then be crafted, featuring the World Cup trophy on one side and the winning team's custom identity on the other, before being officially presented to the squad at a later date. Another 1,996 rings will be made available to the public as official memorabilia.

Donald Trump to Attend and Present the Trophy

The political and sports worlds will collide on Sunday, as the White House has officially confirmed that President Donald Trump will attend the final in New Jersey.

Trump has not attended any of the 102 World Cup matches played so far, missing all of the USA's games before their elimination in the round-of-16. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed excitement about his attendance:

"We look forward to the final match on Sunday, and I know the president looks forward to attending. This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage."

Trump is expected to join FIFA president Gianni Infantino on the podium to present the trophy to the winning captain. The friendship between the two has been the source of the tournament's biggest controversy, especially after Trump reportedly called Infantino directly to seek a review of US striker Folarin Balogun's red card earlier in the tournament. The subsequent decision to suspend Balogun's automatic suspension was heavily criticized, especially since similar appeals from England and France were flatly denied.

Despite a current New York air quality warning caused by wildfires in Canada, officials have stated that there is no indication that the final at MetLife Stadium will be disrupted.

Politics and rings aside, Sunday's match is set to be legendary. Spain is aiming for their second World Cup title since 2010, while defending champions Argentina are chasing back-to-back victories.

The match will be a historic individual milestone for Lionel Messi, who is set to become the first player ever to start in three World Cup finals. Messi is also hoping to protect and extend his record as the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 21 goals, with France’s Kylian Mbappé sitting just one goal behind him. Mbappé will have his own chance to find the net in Saturday's third-place playoff match between France and England in Miami.