Full coverage· Sports· Updated
FIFA Introduces Championship Rings for World Cup Winners Following NBA Tradition
FIFA is awarding championship rings to 2026 World Cup winners for the first time, adopting an NBA-style tradition. The tournament also features new American-inspired rules like a 10-second countdown and hydration breaks dividing matches into four quarters.
3 newsrooms · 1 language · sincePlus
What happened
- 01FIFA will award championship rings to 2026 World Cup winners for the first time.
- 02The rings complement the traditional World Cup trophy as a new player award.
- 03A 10-second countdown before each half has been introduced, inspired by U.S. sports.
- 04Hydration breaks divide matches into four quarters, similar to basketball.
- 05These American-style changes mark increased U.S. influence on the World Cup.
- 06Hydration breaks are not expected to continue in regular global football seasons.
These changes reflect the growing American influence on the World Cup hosted in the U.S.
The coverage
3 newsrooms on this story
Who covered it
- LeftNone
- Centre2
- Right1
- HarediNone
- ArabNone