Trump and FIFA fans furious again! Now they’ve created a 'World Cup championship ring'... even selling them for 200 million won each

*This content was translated by AI.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) will award a 'championship ring' to the winning team for the first time in World Cup history. Rings remaining after distribution to the squad are scheduled to be sold to fans at over 200 million won each. This has sparked strong criticism regarding FIFA’s excessive commercialization and the "Americanization" of the World Cup.

Reuters reported on the 18th (Korean time) that "the World Cup winning team will receive a championship ring like U.S. sports teams," adding that "FIFA plans to present 30 custom-made rings to the winning squad."

Argentina and Spain are set to face each other in the 2026 FIFA North American Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, at 4 a.m. on the 20th. FIFA announced that the winning team of the final will receive not only the trophy and gold medals but also championship rings. This marks the first time a championship ring has been awarded to a tournament winner under FIFA’s supervision.

According to reports, a total of 2,026 rings will be produced. The remaining 1,996 rings, after allocating 30 to the winning squad, are scheduled for sale to fans worldwide.

The winning team’s head coach and captain will first receive temporary rings immediately after the match. Later, official rings featuring designs reflecting the identity of the winning team and tailored to fit every player’s finger size will be delivered separately.

Reuters explained that "one side of the ring is engraved with the World Cup trophy, while the other side features a design and information symbolizing the winning team."

It further noted that "the introduction of this championship ring is a symbolic move showing FIFA’s efforts to change not only the presentation style but also the operational format of matches to align with U.S. sports standards."

Championship rings have long been established as tradition in the four major professional sports leagues representing the United States and Canada: Major League Baseball (MLB), National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and National Hockey League (NHL). However, introducing such rings into a football tournament organized by FIFA is unprecedented.

The price of the 1,996 rings to be sold to fans has also become controversial. Reports indicate the selling price will reach $150,000 per ring (approximately 230 million won).

Criticism directed at FIFA is not limited to the championship rings. Throughout this North American Cup, the tournament has faced accusations of transforming football into a U.S.-style sports event.

The final match will feature the largest halftime show in World Cup history for the first time ever. This production is also reminiscent of the Super Bowl, the NFL’s championship game.

Additionally, this tournament has implemented a "hydration break," allowing approximately three minutes of rest around the 22nd minute of each half. While FIFA explained this as a player protection measure considering the intense summer heat and high humidity in North America, many coaches, players, and fans expressed dissatisfaction.

Critics argue that hydration breaks disrupt the flow of matches and effectively provide each team with two additional tactical timeouts, becoming variables in the game.

Furthermore, criticism was raised that these break times create new commercial segments for advertising. Although FIFA clarified that "these are not measures for advertising but solely for player protection," it could not avoid public perception that separate advertising time has been inserted during matches.

U.S. President Donald Trump also could not escape criticism. This is because the president was directly or indirectly involved in several controversies that emerged during this tournament.

A representative case involves the controversy over the revocation of the red card suspension for U.S. forward Polarin Balogun (AS Monaco). When Balogun faced a crisis of being unable to play in the round of 16 due to his red card suspension, President Trump admitted to directly calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the sanction. Subsequently, FIFA unusually revoked Balogun’s suspension.

There were also issues surrounding Iranian players. Amid military tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, Iranian players faced difficulties in preparing normally for the World Cup due to visa and travel issues. Problems arose with squad assembly and base camp operations, leading to criticism that the World Cup had become entangled in political conflicts.

Unusually, the U.S. national anthem will also be played during the final match. Prior to the North American Cup final, a closing ceremony lasting about 90 minutes will take place, where renowned American singer Jennie Hudson will perform the U.S. national anthem at this event.

FIFA announced that "the largest FIFA World Cup in history will conclude with spectacular events," adding that "global superstar Jennie Hudson, boasting an impressive award-winning career, will sing the U.S. national anthem before the final."

Criticism also erupted over this. Typically, only the national anthems of the two competing nations are played during World Cup matches. Critics questioned whether it was appropriate to separately perform the U.S. national anthem solely because the host country advanced to the final, even though the United States did not qualify for the final match.

British media HITC reported that "Trump has started again," stating that "fans are furious over unprecedented changes announced ahead of the North American Cup final."

British TalkSport also pointed out that "FIFA’s sale of championship rings could be seen as another attempt to make money in this World Cup, which is already criticized for being overly commercialized," adding that "the North American Cup has sparked multiple controversies, including hydration breaks and the final halftime show."

It further added that "this championship ring has triggered strong backlash from fans," noting that "fans are criticizing FIFA for turning football into an excessively American-style sport."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.