FIFA World Cup 2026: FIFA to award first-ever championship rings to winners

NEW YORK: The winners of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final will receive “bespoke championship rings” in addition to the iconic trophy and gold medals, marking the first time such an honour will be presented at a FIFA competition, according to FIFA website.

Inspired by a long-standing American sporting tradition, the customised rings will be awarded to the tournament champions following the final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19 (local time).

A total of 2,026 individually numbered rings will be produced to commemorate the tournament. Of these, 30 rings will be reserved for members of the winning team, while the remaining 1,996 will be made available to fans worldwide as an official licensed product.

The design of each ring will feature the FIFA World Cup trophy on one side, while the other side will be customised to reflect the identity of the champion team. Every ring will be individually numbered, custom-fitted and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

FIFA World Cup 2026 winners(Argentina or Spain) to receive historic first championship rings.

Limited-edition collection of 2,026 rings, with 30 reserved for the winners and 1,996 available to fans worldwide for purchase. pic.twitter.com/pNgaAcRgBt

— MR CPᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ (@Nedu600) July 17, 2026

Immediately after the final, the winning team’s captain and head coach will receive temporary championship rings during the celebrations. The final versions of the 30 winners’ rings will later be custom-made and officially presented to ensure a personalised fit, creating a lasting memento of their World Cup triumph.

Defending champions Argentina secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over England in the semifinal, overturning a first-half deficit with Enzo Fernandez scoring the equaliser before Lautaro Martinez netted the stoppage-time winner to send the defending champions into the title clash against Spain.

The win over England sent Argentina into the World Cup 2026 final, while England’s hopes of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 came to a heartbreaking end.

Spain, on the other hand, secured a place in the FIFA World Cup final for the first time since their 2010 triumph after defeating France 2-0 with a composed performance. Lamine Yamal played a key role in the win, winning a penalty after dispossessing Lucas Digne, which Mikel Oyarzabal converted in the 22nd minute to give Spain the lead.

Pedro Porro doubled Spain’s advantage after the break following a fine move with Dani Olmo, while France struggled to create clear chances. Yamal had a goal ruled out for offside, and despite late efforts from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, Spain’s defence held firm to secure their sixth clean sheet in seven tournament matches.

The victory booked Spain’s second-ever World Cup final appearance. (ANI)