World Cup winners to receive US-style championship rings

FIFA embraces a US sporting tradition alongside football's biggest prize for the first time

Photo: FIFA

The winners of Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will receive championship rings in addition to the trophy and gold medals, FIFA said, introducing an American sporting tradition to its flagship tournament for the first time.

FIFA said 30 bespoke rings would be presented to the winning team following the final at New York New Jersey Stadium, with the captain and head coach initially receiving temporary versions immediately after the match.

The rings will then be customised to reflect the identity of the winning team and individually fitted before being presented at a later date.

One side will feature the World Cup trophy, while the other will carry details specific to the champions.

The players' rings will form part of a limited edition of 2,026 individually numbered pieces, with the remaining 1,996 made available for sale to fans worldwide as officially licensed products.

Championship rings are a long-standing tradition in major North American sports, including the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball and NHL, but have not previously been awarded at a FIFA competition.