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The final match between Argentina and Spain on Sunday will not be limited to just the FIFA World Cup trophy. Players of the winning team will also be given a memorable ‘Championship Ring’ for the first time. For the first time, FIFA has decided to give special rings to the members of the World Cup champion team.

The tradition of awarding rings to the champion team in North American sports dates back to the late 19th century, but the practice is not common in other parts of the world. This time the final match is being played in America, hence this step of FIFA is believed to be inspired by the sports tradition there.

The design of the ring is special

The players of the winning team will receive gold medals as usual, while the team captain and head coach will be given a symbolic ring immediately after the final. Later, 30 specially designed rings would be made for the winning team. One side of the ring will have the shape of the World Cup trophy, while the other side will have a special design depicting the identity of the winning team.

Championship ring will be available for sale

A total of 2026 rings will be produced, symbolizing the year 2026. Each ring will have a unique serial number, will be tailored to the wearer and will also come with a certificate of authenticity. Apart from the 30 rings that the winning team will receive, the remaining 1996 rings will be available for sale to the general public. However, FIFA has not yet disclosed the price of these rings.

The tradition of awarding championship rings dates back to 1893, when the Montreal Hockey Club was given special rings for winning the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup. Later, Major League Baseball (MLB) began awarding championship rings to its winning teams in the 1920s, the NBA from the late 1940s, and the NFL from the beginning of the Super Bowl era.