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Million-Dollar Watches at the World Cup Final: What Celebrities and Football Legends Wore
The Watches at the World Cup Final represented a remarkably varied selection of modern high-end watchmaking, from gem-set chronographs and advanced Royal Oak Concept models to a perpetual calendar, a flyback chronograph and a more accessible steel sports watch. This guide identifies the eight watches visible in the supplied event photographs and examines their exact reference numbers, case materials, movements, complications, production details and independently researched values. Each identification is based on visible design characteristics and cross-checked against manufacturer specifications and reputable watch-industry sources, with retail prices, auction results, market estimates and dealer asking prices clearly separated.
Carlos Alcaraz — Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref 116598RBOW
Alcaraz attended as an international sports guest. The black lacquer dial, rainbow sapphire-set bezel, matching baguette sapphire hour markers, diamond-set case and Everose Oyster bracelet support Ref. 116598RBOW. Its 40 mm case contains self-winding calibre 4130, a column-wheel chronograph with vertical clutch and 72-hour reserve. Introduced in 2018 with price on request, it differs from earlier Rainbow Daytonas through Everose gold and sapphire indices. Phillips sold a 2022 example for $444,500; a Rolex Watches Certified Pre-Owned dealer has asked £449,950.
Draymond Green — Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Ref 26620IO.OO.D077CA.01
Green was among the final’s sporting guests. His 42 mm AP is identified by its hand-painted white-gold figure, purple inner bezel and strap, titanium case, and black ceramic bezel and crown. Manual-winding calibre 2965 supplies hours, minutes, a 72-hour reserve and a flying tourbillon, supported from below for an unobstructed dial-side view. The 250-piece edition launched around CHF 150,000; Phillips sold one for HK$3,024,000. The sculptural figure and purple detailing distinguish this exact reference from other Royal Oak Concepts.
BURNA BOY — Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref 116598RBOW
BURNA BOY performed during the final’s halftime programme. His photograph shows the same Ref. 116598RBOW as Alcaraz, so the more useful point is context rather than repeated mechanics. Onstage, its sapphire gradient and polished Everose bracelet became part of a performance-focused look; on Alcaraz, the identical watch appeared in a spectator setting. Two sightings of the same tightly allocated reference at one event underline its recognisability and collectability. The relevant market benchmark remains the $444,500 Phillips auction result, not unverified prices printed over photographs.
Jake Paul — Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref 5980/60G-001
Paul’s photograph shows the blue-grey embossed dial, white-gold porthole case and denim-pattern strap of Ref. 5980/60G-001. The 40.5 mm watch uses self-winding calibre CH 28-520 C, with date, 45–55 hours of reserve and a flyback chronograph that resets and restarts in one push. Elapsed hours and minutes share a concentric counter at six. Unlike bracelet-mounted variants, this reference comes with calfskin and composite straps. Patek Nautilus lists it at €85,298; WatchCharts estimated its July 2026 market value at $173,995.
Kevin Hart — Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref 26586BC.OO.1240.BC.99
Hart attended as an entertainment guest. The light-blue sunburst calendar dial, 41 mm white-gold case and integrated bracelet align with the 25-piece “Luminary” Ref. 26586BC.OO.1240.BC.99. At 6.2 mm thick, it houses the 2.9 mm self-winding calibre 5133, with day, date, month, leap year, moon phase, day/night indication and 40-hour reserve. A perpetual calendar accounts for month lengths and leap years when correctly set. No dependable public retail figure was found; $479,900 is a dealer asking price, not a sale.
Roman Reigns — Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Ref 26650FA.OO.D002CA.01
Reigns’ supplied photograph shows this group’s densest mechanical package. The 43 mm case combines patterned CFT carbon with a yellow-gold bezel and guards, black ceramic controls and an openworked dial. Self-winding calibre 4407 has 638 parts, a 70-hour reserve, GMT, large date and rattrapante chronograph—two timing hands that can record an intermediate interval. The edition is reported at 100 pieces. AP shows no public price; one dealer asks $249,999. Its yellow-gold architecture separates this reference from similar carbon Concept versions.
David Beckham — TUDOR Monarch Ref M2639W1A0U-0001
Former England captain Beckham provided the clearest football-legend connection among the spectators. His dark-champagne dial, faceted 39 mm steel case and two-link bracelet match the 2026 TUDOR Monarch Ref. M2639W1A0U-0001. Self-winding calibre MT5662-2U is COSC- and METAS-certified, offers 65 hours, and resists 15,000 gauss; the 11.9 mm case is water-resistant to 100 metres. TUDOR lists it at $5,875. The modern reference and Master Chronometer movement distinguish it from older quartz watches carrying the Monarch name.
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima — F.P. Journe Élégante 48 mm Titalyt
Ronaldo participated in the halftime production. The supplied description proposes an Élégante 48 mm Titalyt®, but the image lacks decisive reference-level detail. The available photograph does not provide enough evidence to confirm the exact F.P. Journe reference. Officially, the 48 × 40 mm Titalyt-treated titanium model is Ref. ELHT, powered by electromechanical calibre 1210. After 35 motionless minutes, its hands stop while a processor retains time, then reset when worn. A comparable Titalyt example achieved about $82,000, but that value cannot safely be assigned here.
The Standout Watch of the Event
The Rainbow Daytona stands out because Ref. 116598RBOW appeared twice and carries strong completed-sale evidence. Phillips’ $444,500 result is directly documented, whereas the Luminary’s larger advertised number is only an asking price. Reigns’ AP is mechanically more complicated and Green’s flying tourbillon more visually theatrical, but the Rolex combines unambiguous identification, established auction demand and two distinct event appearances.
Identification note: The watches were reviewed using the supplied event photographs and cross-checked against official manufacturer specifications and reputable watch-industry sources. Where an exact reference could not be conclusively established, the uncertainty has been stated.
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Conclusion
The Watches at the World Cup Final ranged from Beckham’s current-production steel TUDOR to Hart’s ultra-thin perpetual calendar, Reigns’ rattrapante GMT and two appearances of Rolex Ref. 116598RBOW. The useful conclusion is reference-specific: materials, dial architecture, bracelet or strap construction and complication layout matter more than superficial resemblance. That discipline is decisive for Ronaldo’s F.P. Journe, where the photograph supports a model-family discussion but not a definitive reference claim.
What watches were celebrities wearing at the World Cup Final?
The identified watches included two Rolex Rainbow Daytonas, three Audemars Piguet Royal Oak references, a TUDOR Monarch, a Patek Philippe Nautilus Flyback Chronograph and a possible F.P. Journe Élégante. The exact F.P. Journe reference could not be conclusively confirmed from the available photograph.
What was the most expensive watch seen at the World Cup Final?
Based on comparable completed-sale evidence, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “Rainbow” Ref. 116595RBOW had the strongest high-value benchmark, with a documented auction result of $444,500. Higher advertised dealer prices should not be treated as completed sales.
Which watch references were identified at the World Cup Final?
The confirmed references were Rolex 116595RBOW, Audemars Piguet 26620IO.OO.D077CA.01, 26586BC.OO.1240.BC.99 and 26650FA.OO.D002CA.01, TUDOR M2639W1A0U-0001, and Patek Philippe 5980/60G-001. The exact F.P. Journe reference remains unconfirmed.
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