The World Cup's first-ever champions ring: 30 for the winners, 1,996 sold to fans

A ring next to the trophy

As Spain and Argentina prepare for Sunday's final, FIFA announced on July 16 that, for the first time in the tournament's history, the winning team will receive a championship ring. World Cup winners have always taken home the trophy and gold medals; a keepsake that players and staff wear on their finger has never been part of it. The team that wins at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will be the first to get one. Spain have won once (2010) and Argentina three times (most recently 2022) — but whichever lifts the trophy becomes the first World Cup champion to wear the ring.

What "2,026" means

FIFA is producing 2,026 rings, a number that nods to the year of the tournament, each individually numbered. Of those, 30 go to the winning country, shared among players and staff. The remaining 1,996 are sold worldwide as an officially licensed product — custom-fitted, individually numbered, and delivered with a certificate of authenticity. In other words, almost the entire run is aimed at fans, not the champions: it is at once a winners' memento and an official piece of tournament merchandise, which is what sets it apart from past plaques and medals.

18k gold, 89 diamonds

The ring is made of 18-karat gold and set with 89 diamonds and 36 sapphires. One side carries the World Cup trophy; the other is customised with the crest and visual identity of the winning nation. It is produced under FIFA licence by YS Partners SA, a Geneva-based jeweler. The design was unveiled days before the final, so the winner's side will only be finished once tomorrow's result is known.

Borrowed from the Super Bowl

Championship rings are a familiar sight in American sport: the winners of the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals and the World Series all receive one. The first Super Bowl ring dates back to 1967, when Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi commissioned a gold ring from Jostens, set with a single one-carat diamond. With the 2026 tournament staged across North America, FIFA has now imported that tradition into the global game.

Price, and a cool reception

FIFA has not confirmed a final price. Reports vary widely: the winners' rings have been valued at roughly $30,000–$50,000, while the fan versions have been quoted anywhere from $10,000 to about $150,000 depending on the specification, with the official sales site listing a $1,200 deposit to reserve a finalist design. Not everyone is charmed. Some European supporters have accused FIFA of "Americanizing" football. Together with the final's first-ever halftime show — headlined by Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Justin Bieber — and a pre-kickoff ceremony featuring Post Malone, the 2026 showpiece leans hard into American-style spectacle.

The winner will be decided on Sunday afternoon in New Jersey, early Monday in Japan. The 30 players and staff who lift the trophy will become the first people in World Cup history to slip on a ring.