Spain and Argentina will compete for a new piece of World Cup history when they meet in Sunday’s final.
For the first time at any FIFA competition, the winning team will receive specially designed championship rings, a tradition more commonly associated with major North American sports such as the NFL, NBA and MLB.
The final will be played at New York New Jersey Stadium, better known as MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 Central European Summer Time on Sunday. France and England will contest the third-place play-off in Miami at 23:00 on Saturday.
A collection of 2,026 rings
FIFA will produce a limited collection of 2,026 individually numbered rings, reflecting the year of the tournament.
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Thirty will be reserved for the winning team, while the other 1,996 will be sold worldwide as officially licensed products. FIFA has not yet announced the price of the rings.
“These are the first-ever championship rings to be presented at a FIFA competition, bringing an iconic American sporting tradition to global football,” FIFA said in its official announcement.
One side of each ring will feature the World Cup trophy. The other will be customised to represent the identity of either Spain or Argentina, depending on who wins the final.
Every ring will be individually numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
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Winners must wait for personalised versions
The entire collection will not be ready for presentation immediately after the final.
Instead, the captain and head coach of the winning team will receive temporary rings during the post-match celebrations. The 30 permanent rings reserved for the champions will then be customised and fitted before being formally presented at a later date.
“Each of the 30 rings for the winners will then be customised before being officially presented at a later date, ensuring the perfect lifelong fit for an achievement that will echo through eternity,” FIFA added.
The governing body has not specified precisely how the 30 rings will be divided between players and staff. Both finalists registered 26-player squads, leaving only four additional rings if every player is included.
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The new award will sit alongside the World Cup trophy and the traditional winners’ medals rather than replacing either of them.
Pogba brought the tradition to France
Although this is the first time FIFA has officially awarded championship rings, the idea has previously been embraced by World Cup winners.
Following France’s victory in Russia in 2018, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann helped design NBA-style rings for the 23 members of Didier Deschamps’ squad. Pogba paid for the diamond-encrusted gifts, which were produced by Los Angeles jeweller Jason of Beverly Hills and presented to the players in March 2019.
The personalised rings featured the colours of the French flag, the national team’s rooster and two stars representing the country’s World Cup titles. They also carried each player’s name and squad number, as well as France’s results from the knockout stage.
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“It’s a small gesture after winning a World Cup with great players. I consider them my family. It’s a small gift from me. A small gesture like that is nothing because a World Cup is for life. This ring you can lose, but the World Cup you do not lose that,” Pogba said, as quoted by SoccerBible.
Seven years later, FIFA has turned that private gesture into an official part of its World Cup celebrations. Either Lionel Messi or Spain’s captain will become the first player to receive one after lifting the trophy on Sunday.
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