The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, which will be played on Sunday, will have an additional prize: for the first time, FIFA will award championship rings.
The tradition of championship rings has been common in North American sports since the late 19th century, but not in other regions. When the final was held in the United States, FIFA decided to give a nod to that custom.
What will the champions receive?
Players on the winning team will receive traditional gold medals. Additionally, the captain and coach will receive temporary rings shortly after the match. Afterwards, the entire team will receive 30 personalized rings.
Each ring will have the World Cup trophy on one side, while the other side will be designed “to reflect the identity of the winning team,” FIFA said.
2,026 numbered rings
FIFA will manufacture 2,026 rings, a figure that refers to the current year. Each one will be individually numbered, fitted to fit the wearer, and will include a certificate of authenticity.
Of that total, 30 will go to the champion team. The remaining 1,996 will be put on sale to the public, although FIFA has not yet revealed their price.
A centuries-old tradition
The custom of championship rings dates back to at least 1893, when the Montreal Hockey Club was awarded the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, a precursor to today’s Stanley Cup. That team commissioned simple bands with small hockey sticks on top.
In Major League Baseball, championship rings began to be awarded in the 1920s. NBA champions have received them practically since the league’s creation in the late 1940s, and NFL teams have received them throughout the Super Bowl era, since the 1960s.
Some Halls of Fame also award rings to their members, and United States Olympic and Paralympic athletes receive them as part of the benefits for representing their country.
