As World Cup winners, the Spanish football team has been awarded with the first-ever Championship rings by FIFA. The initiative is “testament to FIFA’s commitment to embracing traditions from other sports while looking for new ways to celebrate its champions”. FIFA kicked off this historic tradition for 2026, with a custom designed 18k yellow gold signet ring, featuring 89 pave-set natural diamonds. Each ring is made to order and is engraved with its own number (from 1-2026) and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
What do the rings look like and who made them?
ccording to FIFA, each ring has been hand-crafted and handset by a Swiss-based manufacturer. The design features the FIFA World Cup trophy on one side and the Spanish crest on the other. The bezel features 89 pave-set natural diamonds and 38 sapphires.
What are Championship Rings?
Championship rings are commemorative pieces of jewelry gifted to the victorious team in a sport and often their coaching team. They are designed to honor the exact sport and year of victory and often go on to become valuable collectors’ items for players and fans. This is the first time in FIFA’s 96-year history that bespoke Championship rings have been issued.
Why has FIFA introduced Championship rings for football?
According to a spokesperson, FIFA is keen to embrace traditions from other sports, such as the NFL, where championship rings are traditionally awarded to the winning team, while looking for new ways to celebrate its champions. “For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, the champions have been awarded a Champions Ring, presented in the dressing room at New York New Jersey Stadium on 19 July 2026. Spain are champions of the world.”
Why are natural diamonds such a significant feature of Championship rings, trophies and medals?
As one of Earth’s most rare and most precious materials, natural diamonds (opens in a new window) are the perfect choice to celebrate victories in sports across the globe. Championship rings featuring natural diamonds have traditionally been awarded to winning teams as a symbol of cultural tradition, timeless elegance, emotional significance and personal value.
Probably the most famous of all Championship rings is the NFL’s Super Bowl Ring (opens in a new window). In 1967, Packers’ coach Vince Lombardi ensured all winning players had something to show for it. He worked with memorabilia company Jostens to design a ring that symbolized the gravity of the victory. A tradition that still endures today.
At this year’s World Athletics Relays in Gaborone 2026 (opens in a new window), the medals carried more than gold, silver and bronze. Each one featured a natural diamond sourced and crafted in Botswana by South African brand Nungu Diamonds, turning the global event into a showcase of Botswana’s leading diamond industry and transformative influence in athletics as a symbol of pride, and national development.
Who receives the FIFA World Cup Championship rings?
Of the 2,026 rings made for the FIFA World Cup 2026, 30 have been reserved for the Spanish team and the other 1,996 are available for members of the public to buy via the FIFA website for $12,000. A small price to pay for the very first FIFA Championship ring ever made.
