FIFA adds championship rings to World Cup winner’s haul
The 2026 World Cup champions will receive custom rings alongside the trophy and medals, with a limited fan edition also planned.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
The 2026 World Cup winners are getting a very American extra for their victory lap: championship rings.
FIFA said the champions will receive custom rings on top of the usual World Cup trophy and gold medals, adding a tradition more familiar from U.S. sports to soccer’s biggest stage.
Argentina and Spain are set to meet Sunday night in the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, according to ESPN. The match now comes with another piece of hardware waiting for the winning squad.
FIFA said a run of 2,026 individually numbered rings will be made. Thirty will go to the winning team, while the remaining 1,996 are planned for sale to fans.
The design will nod to both the tournament and the champions. FIFA said one side of each ring will show the World Cup trophy, while the other side will be tailored to the winning team’s identity.
The presentation will come in stages. After the final, FIFA said the winning captain and head coach will receive temporary rings. The 30 permanent rings for players will be customized and handed over later.
Final gets showbiz treatment
Sunday’s final is also getting a full entertainment bill, according to ESPN. A closing ceremony is scheduled to begin 90 minutes before kickoff and will feature Post Malone, Tom Cruise and others.
ESPN reported that the final will also include a halftime show with Justin Bieber, Madonna and Shakira.
On the pitch, Argentina are chasing consecutive World Cup titles after beating England in Wednesday’s semifinal, according to ESPN. Spain are trying to win the tournament for a second time, after their 2010 triumph, and reached the final by defeating France.
Lionel Messi is set to start a World Cup final for the third time, which ESPN reported would make him the first player to do so. He also enters the final as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 21 goals.
France forward Kylian Mbappé sits one goal behind that career World Cup mark, according to ESPN.
Golden Boot race stays tight
Messi and Mbappé are also level in the 2026 Golden Boot chase, with eight goals each, ESPN reported. Goals scored in the third-place playoff count toward the tournament total.
France’s Ousmane Dembélé and Spain striker Mikel Oyarzabal have five goals each, according to ESPN. Other players listed in ESPN’s Golden Boot race include Erling Haaland on seven, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane on six, and Julián Quiñones, Ismaïla Sarr and Vinícius Júnior on four.
England and France are scheduled to meet Saturday in the third-place game, billed as the Bronze Final, according to ESPN.
For Argentina or Spain, Sunday’s prize list is now longer than usual: the trophy, the medals and, once FIFA’s customization is complete, 30 rings marking the champions of the world.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.