FIFA Player of the Match Award
Cloud TV Desk: FIFA has introduced a significant change to its Player of the Match award presentation during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aiming to respect the religious beliefs and cultural sensitivities of Muslim footballers (FIFA Player of the Match Award) .
Under the new approach, alcohol-related sponsor branding is removed from the award stage and trophy presentation for selected players who request it.
The change first gained attention after Morocco midfielder Ismael Saibari was named Player of the Match against Scotland. During the presentation, the usual Michelob Ultra branding was absent, replaced with a neutral “Superior Player of the Match” design alongside official FIFA World Cup branding.
The same arrangement has reportedly been made for Egypt’s Emam Ashour, Jordan’s Ali Olwan, Iran’s Ramin Rezaeian, Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, and Ivory Coast’s Yann Diomande.
According to reports, FIFA introduced the change to accommodate players whose religious or cultural beliefs discourage or prohibit alcohol-related promotion.
A FIFA spokesperson told SportBible that sponsor-free trophies and backdrops are available upon request from selected players. The same policy also applies to underage players.
This is not the first such case in international football. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy declined an alcohol-sponsored Player of the Match award, drawing global attention.
In recent years, several football competitions have adopted alcohol-free alternatives during celebrations and award ceremonies to respect players’ religious beliefs.
Many observers have welcomed FIFA’s latest initiative as a positive step toward promoting diversity, inclusion, and respect for different cultures in world football.
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