Argentina and Spain will compete for more than just the FIFA World Cup trophy when they face each other in the final on Sunday (Monday, July 20, 2026, at 12:30 am IST). The winning team will also become the first in football history to receive championship rings from FIFA, bringing a tradition more commonly associated with North American sports to the world's biggest football tournament.The move marks a new recognition of World Cup success, with FIFA creating specially designed rings to commemorate the champions' achievement.FIFA introduces championship rings for World Cup winnersTraditionally, FIFA World Cup winners receive gold medals and lift the iconic trophy after the final. However, for the 2026 tournament, the winning team will also receive custom championship rings.The captain and head coach of the victorious side will receive temporary rings shortly after the final whistle. The full set of rings will be delivered later, with 30 customised pieces created exclusively for the winning team.FIFA said one side of the ring will feature the World Cup trophy, while the other side will be designed to "reflect the identity of the winning team".Only 2,026 FIFA World Cup rings to be madeFIFA will produce only 2,026 rings, a number chosen to represent the year of the tournament.Each ring will be individually numbered, custom-fitted and delivered with a certificate of authenticity. Of these, 30 will go to the World Cup-winning team, while the remaining 1,996 rings will be made available for public purchase.FIFA has not yet revealed the price of the commemorative rings.Championship rings tradition dates back over a centuryWhile championship rings are new to FIFA, they have been a long-standing tradition in North American sports.The tradition is believed to date back to 1893, when the Montreal Hockey Club received the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, the predecessor to the modern Stanley Cup. The team later commissioned simple bands featuring small hockey sticks.Over time, championship rings became a defining symbol of sporting success in the United States and Canada.How championship rings became part of US sports cultureMajor League Baseball teams began awarding championship rings in the 1920s, while NBA champions have received them since the league's early years in the late 1940s. NFL teams have also presented championship rings throughout the Super Bowl era since the 1960s.Today, championship rings are awarded across American professional sports, including basketball, baseball, American football and hockey. They are also given in several college, high school and youth competitions.FIFA World Cup embraces a new sporting traditionWith the 2026 final being hosted in the United States, FIFA's decision to introduce championship rings appears to reflect the influence of North America's sporting culture.For the eventual winners between Argentina and Spain, the rings will serve as a permanent reminder of their historic World Cup triumph and the first time FIFA has added this tradition to football's biggest tournament.Inputs from agencies