FIFA Reveals Huge New Prizes for 2026 World Cup Winners

FIFA has confirmed the winners of Sunday’s World Cup final will be awarded commemorative rings to mark the occasion.
Championship rings are a tradition in American sports and FIFA will introduce them to the world of soccer after Sunday’s final, when a total of 30 rings will be presented to the victors of Sunday’s clash between Spain and Argentina.
The captain and manager of the winning team will both receive temporary rings immediately after the final, but the full 30 will awarded at a later date after they have been customized and personalized for each recipient.
The rings will all be individually numbered and custom-fitted for each player, while the identity of the winning team will also be reflected on one side of the ring, alongside the famous World Cup trophy, which has historically been the only physical prize awarded to the winners.
A further 1,996 rings will be made available to the public for purchase, with the total of 2,026 rings marking the year of the tournament.
Fans Divided Over Introduction of New Award

FIFA’s willingness to lean into the American market has been abundantly clear all summer, with the championship rings the latest change reflective of other popular sports in North America. Mandatory hydration breaks, which have effectively divided the game into four quarters reminiscent of the NBA or the NFL.
Both those sports routinely hand out championship rings to each season’s winners, as do several others, but they are reserved exclusively for players and staff, whereas FIFA are ready to offer fans the chance to buy one of 1,996 celebratory rings for an as-yet undisclosed price.
FIFA’s merchandise this summer has left many fans frustrated, particularly the $375 jerseys made for each of the host cities. Just 999 of each jersey were made but, as we arrive at the final weekend of the tournament, only six of the 16 jerseys have sold out.
Soccer’s governing body will also sell patches of turf from the World Cup final, held at New York City’s MetLife Stadium, beginning at $450 but ranging as high as $3,000. Again, they are limited to 2,026 pieces.
President Donald Trump will be in attendance for the final on Sunday. He will be present for the trophy ceremony, as is tradition, and may well be involved handing out the rings to the eventual winners.
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Tom Gott is an associate editor for SI FC, having entered the world of soccer media in early 2018 following his graduation from Newcastle University. He specialises in all things Premier League, with a particular passion for academy soccer, and can usually be found rebuilding your favorite team on Football Manager.