Every World Cup has its official ball, its trophy presentation and its visual identity. The 2026 edition is no different. Here is a guide to the official matchball, the trophy and the key visual elements of this tournament.
THE OFFICIAL MATCHBALL
FIFA and Adidas have partnered on the FIFA World Cup 2026 Trophy and Awards since 1970. The 2026 edition continues this partnership. The official matchball for 2026 was named and designed to reflect the North American hosting theme.
The ball uses Adidas's latest Connected Ball Technology (CBT). CBT places a motion sensor inside the ball that collects data including spin, speed and trajectory. This data feeds into the semi-automated offside system to determine the precise moment of any kick for offside calculations.
The 2026 matchball design features visual elements representing all three host nations: the USA, Mexico and Canada. The color scheme reflects the tournament's official visual identity, which draws from the cultures and landscapes of North America.
THE FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY
The FIFA World Cup trophy is one of the most recognized objects in sports. It weighs 6.175 kilograms (13.6 pounds) and stands 36.8 centimeters (about 14.5 inches) tall. It is made of 18-carat gold with a malachite base.
The trophy was designed by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga and first awarded at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. FIFA keeps the original trophy permanently. Each winning nation receives a gold-plated replica to keep.
Argentina currently holds their replica from the 2022 title. The 2026 champion will receive a new replica.
THE GOLDEN BOOT
The Golden Boot is awarded to the tournament's top goal scorer. If two or more players finish with the same number of goals, the tiebreaker is total assists. If still tied, the player with fewer minutes played receives the award.
Recent Golden Boot winners include Harry Kane (England, 2018 with 6 goals) and Kylian Mbappé (France, 2022 with 8 goals). With eight matches available for teams reaching the Final, the record of 13 goals by Just Fontaine in 1958 is theoretically within reach for a player in peak form.
THE GOLDEN GLOVE
The Golden Glove goes to the best goalkeeper of the tournament. The award is decided by FIFA's Technical Study Group, a panel of former players and technical experts who assess each goalkeeper's performances across the tournament.
THE GOLDEN BALL
The Golden Ball is awarded to the best overall player of the tournament. Lionel Messi won it at the 2022 World Cup. Previous winners include Ronaldo, Messi (multiple times) and Zinedine Zidane. The award has sometimes been controversial when given to a player from the winning team rather than the objectively dominant individual performer.
THE FIFA FAIR PLAY AWARD
A Fair Play award goes to the team with the best disciplinary record across the group stage. This matters practically: in the tiebreaker system, disciplinary record is one of the criteria used to separate teams level on points, goal difference and goals scored.
OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT MASCOT
FIFA traditionally reveals an official tournament mascot for each World Cup. The 2026 mascot reflects North American culture and themes relevant to the three host nations. FIFA uses the mascot extensively in marketing, stadium decorations and official merchandise.