Mataiasi Stark 
[Source: Reuters]
The winners of tomorrow’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will receive championship rings in addition to the trophy and gold medals.
FIFA announced that 30 bespoke rings will be presented to the winning team following the final at New York New Jersey Stadium.
This marks the first time championship rings – a long-standing tradition in American sports like the NFL and NBA – will be awarded at a FIFA competition.
It is the latest sign of the governing body’s push to Americanize its flagship tournament.
Tomorrow’s final between Spain and Argentina will also feature a major halftime entertainment show, a concept closely associated with the Super Bowl.
Furthermore, mandatory hydration breaks throughout the tournament have effectively divided matches into quarters.
While FIFA defends the breaks on player-welfare grounds, critics argue they disrupt the game’s flow, offer coaches extra tactical timeouts, and create new mid-half commercial windows.
