The winners of this year's World Cup final, contested by Argentina and Spain, are set to receive a unique prize: Super Bowl-style championship rings. This marks a significant departure from tradition for the global football tournament, adopting an awarding custom more commonly associated with major American sports leagues.
A total of 30 custom-fitted rings will be presented to the triumphant team. Each ring will incorporate a miniature World Cup trophy into its design and feature an engraving on the band, tailored to reflect the culture of the victorious nation. While the winning captain and head coach will receive temporary rings immediately after Sunday's final, the bespoke, permanent versions will be delivered at a later date following custom fitting.
Adding to the spectacle, former US President Donald Trump is confirmed to be in attendance at MetLife Stadium for the final match. He will play a central role in the prize-giving ceremony, personally handing over the World Cup trophy to the champions. This will be Trump's sole appearance at the tournament, despite the USA co-hosting and reaching the quarter-finals, a run that concluded with a defeat by Belgium.
Trump's involvement in this World Cup has not been without controversy. He previously admitted to phoning FIFA President Gianni Infantino to lobby for a review of USA striker Folarin Balogun's red card. This intervention led to the extraordinary decision to suspend the ban, citing a little-known FIFA clause, which made Balogun available for the match against Belgium and sparked widespread criticism regarding sporting integrity and political interference.
The decision to play the USA national anthem before kick-off, despite neither the USA nor the co-hosting nations being involved in the final, further highlights the American influence on the tournament's closing ceremony. Beyond the team's rings, a limited edition of 1,996 replica rings will also be made available for fans to purchase, allowing supporters to own a piece of this unprecedented World Cup memento.