The winners of Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will receive Super Bowl-style rings in a move that has divided opinion sharply, with some fans calling for the US to never host the tournament again.
FIFA has announced that the captain and head coach of the winning team will receive temporary rings on the day of the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with 30 custom-fitted rings delivered to the full squad at a later date.
Each ring will feature a miniature World Cup trophy in the design and an engraving reflecting the culture of the winning country. A further 1,996 rings will go on sale to supporters.
International soccer fans displeased, to say least
Winner rings are a deeply embedded tradition in American sport but have no equivalent in soccer, and the reaction from fans outside the US has been swift and pointed.
“Let’s never host the World Cup in the US ever again,” one fan wrote on X.
Another said the move was part of a broader pattern of Americanizing the tournament, also citing the introduction of hydration breaks divided into quarters.
A third simply wrote: “What a disgrace. This is not the NFL.”
Trump to hand over the trophy
President Donald Trump is set to attend Sunday’s final and will personally hand the World Cup trophy to the winning captain.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the tournament as “the most watched, most secure, and most successful World Cup in American history.”
The US is already considering a bid to host again in 2038, with FIFA looking at expanding the tournament from 48 to 64 teams.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, said last month:
“I think the United States can handle it. Let me make sure we get through this World Cup on 19 July before we make our pitch.”
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