FIFA will introduce a new post-tournament tradition on Sunday by presenting commemorative World Cup winner rings to the champions after the final between Argentina and Spain, with United States President Donald Trump expected to attend the showpiece in New Jersey.
The rings, inspired by the long-standing American tradition of honouring champions in competitions such as the NFL’s Super Bowl, will be awarded to members of the victorious squad.
A total of 30 winner rings will be produced for the champions, while FIFA will also release 1,996 replica rings for supporters. Each ring will feature a miniature World Cup trophy and a personalised engraving on the inside of the band.
Trump, who is expected to hand the World Cup trophy to the winners, has not attended any of the tournament’s 102 matches, including all of the United States’ fixtures before their round-of-16 elimination to Belgium.
Although New York is under an air quality alert due to smoke from wildfires in Canada, there are currently no indications that conditions will disrupt Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had previously announced that Trump would be present at the final, a plan later confirmed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Trump’s relationship with Infantino has remained one of the tournament’s most debated issues after the US president reportedly contacted the FIFA chief to request a review of United States forward Folarin Balogun’s red card.
The decision to overturn Balogun’s automatic suspension sparked widespread criticism and raised concerns over the competition’s integrity.
Balogun was subsequently cleared to play in the USA’s knockout clash against Belgium, but the hosts suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat.
No other player has had a red- or yellow-card suspension overturned during the tournament, despite appeals submitted by both France and England over separate disciplinary decisions.
Trump has frequently attended major sporting events throughout his presidency, including the Super Bowl, the US Open, the NBA Finals and the Ryder Cup. He also hosted a UFC event at the White House during his two terms in office.
It is common for heads of state from host nations to attend the FIFA World Cup final.
The United States is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico, with the final two matches taking place on American soil.
England will meet France in the third-place playoff in Miami on Saturday at 22:00 BST, while Argentina face Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final, scheduled for 20:00 BST.
Both matches will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with live text coverage and radio commentary available on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app.
