World Cup winners have to follow a strict FIFA rule right after getting the trophy from Donald Trump.
Winning the World Cup brings joy and celebrations for the players, staff, and fans of the winning country. But right after the win, the champions have to follow some very important FIFA rules.
As the 2026 World Cup is nearly two weeks in, the tournament is already taking shape. Some teams have been knocked out, while others have made it through to the knockout rounds. Out of 48 teams, 16 are eliminated after the group stage, and 32 move on.
Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, and Panama have unfortunately been knocked out already. Meanwhile, teams like Argentina, France, Germany, Mexico, Norway, the USA, and Colombia have secured their spots in the last 32 as of June 24.
France, who have won twice before, have been impressive in the group stage, beating Senegal 3-1 and Iraq 3-0. Kylian Mbappé has scored four of France’s six goals so far. On the other side, Lionel Messi is leading the race for the Golden Boot with five goals in two games.
Norway’s Erling Haaland also has four goals, while Germany’s Deniz Undav and Canada’s Jonathan David each have three. These players will be hoping to score even more in the knockout stages, both for their teams and themselves.
After the final match on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, several awards will be given out, including the Golden Ball for the best player, the Golden Boot for top scorer, and the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper. The second and third top scorers will get Silver and Bronze Boots, and the next-best players will earn Silver and Bronze Balls.
There’s also a FIFA Young Player Award for players born on or after January 1, 2005, and a Fair Play Award for the team that shows the best sportsmanship.
The biggest prize of all, the World Cup trophy, will be handed to the winners by US President Donald Trump. FIFA President Gianni Infantino told FOX that they will all be together to enjoy the final and present the trophy. Trump has experience, having presented the Club World Cup trophy to Chelsea last summer.
With so much prestige and excitement, players might want to celebrate freely. But FIFA has strict rules about what happens after winning. The winning country must take good care of the trophy while they have it, and they only have it temporarily. They have to return it whenever FIFA asks. FIFA will provide detailed rules on how to handle the trophy, and winners must follow them closely.
Every team that takes part in the tournament will also receive a special plaque to remember their appearance. It’s a great way to honor all the countries involved in this exciting event!