As the 2026 FIFA World Cup captures the world’s attention and Wimbledon once again turns Centre Court into the centre of the sporting universe, another competition is quietly unfolding alongside the action. It is not about goals, lap times or championship points. It is about identity.
From layered diamond necklaces and heritage-inspired tennis ensembles to customised chains carrying deeply personal messages, elite athletes are increasingly using fashion to communicate who they are while competing. The modern sporting arena is no longer defined solely by performance. It has become a stage where luxury, symbolism and personal branding coexist with athletic excellence.
What makes this shift particularly fascinating is that glamour is no longer reserved for post-match celebrations or red carpets. It is finding its way onto the field of play itself. Depending on the sport’s regulations, diamonds, watches, bracelets and custom jewellery are becoming as recognisable as signature celebrations.
Tennis serves fashion’s biggest statement
No sport has embraced on-court fashion quite like tennis. Unlike football, basketball or Formula 1, professional tennis generally allows players to wear jewellery during matches, provided it does not interfere with play or pose a safety risk. That freedom has made tennis the ideal meeting point between elite sport and luxury fashion.
The relationship stretches back decades. In 1978, Chris Evert stopped her US Open match after her diamond bracelet unclasped and scattered across the court. The incident became so iconic that jewellers soon adopted the term “tennis bracelet”, creating an entirely new jewellery category.
Luxury houses quickly recognised tennis’ visual appeal. Rolex became Wimbledon’s official timekeeper in 1978, while Swiss watchmaker Ebel pioneered direct luxury partnerships with players including Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Andre Agassi during the 1980s. Agassi’s earrings, watches and rebellious style transformed the image of the traditional tennis player into something closer to a rock star.
Today, jewellery is no longer confined to trophy ceremonies.
During this year’s French Open, Aryna Sabalenka drew attention not only for her comments on prize money but also for layered necklaces and earrings from New York jeweller Material Good reportedly worth almost $148,000. One necklace alone reportedly featured around 200 carats of garnets alongside 23 carats of diamonds. Sabalenka later admitted she had been sent a third necklace but decided “it was probably too much”. Her explanation was equally revealing: when she feels good about how she looks, she believes she performs better.
That psychology is increasingly echoed across elite sport. Jewellery is no longer simply decorative. It has become part of an athlete’s competitive mindset.
Naomi Osaka has expanded that storytelling beyond jewellery into complete fashion narratives. Her custom Nike collaborations have transformed tournament entrances into runway-worthy moments. A Wimbledon ensemble inspired by Japanese kimono, designed alongside Hana Yagi, celebrated her heritage through sport. Elsewhere, she has competed in sequinned bomber jackets, sculptural Robert Wun collaborations inspired by jellyfish, crystal-studded monochrome looks, cherry blossom-inspired Roland Garros outfits and oversized bows inspired by Japanese gothic fashion.
Even her accessories have become part of the performance. During the US Open she paired Swarovski crystal detailing with customised Nike shoes and matching rhinestone-covered Labubu mascots, treating every appearance as a carefully curated visual story.
Coco Gauff has embraced a subtler but equally thoughtful approach, working with New Balance on varsity-inspired collections and signature footwear while carefully planning every braid, jacket and accessory months in advance.
Yet no athlete has influenced tennis fashion more profoundly than Serena Williams. Her partnership with Nike changed expectations of what female tennis players could wear. The denim skirt and sneaker boots she debuted at the 2004 US Open remain one of the sport’s defining style moments. Later came dramatic capes, Off-White collaborations with Virgil Abloh, compression catsuits designed to aid blood circulation following childbirth complications and statement outfits that challenged tennis’ conservative traditions.
Football: Personal identity beneath the jersey
Football remains among the strictest sports when it comes to jewellery. Under the Laws of the Game, players must remove necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings before kick-off to eliminate injury risks. Fashion, therefore emerges largely before the whistle or immediately afterwards.
Even within those restrictions, jewellery has become an important expression of identity.
Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has become closely associated with his custom “304” diamond chain, referencing Rocafonda, the neighbourhood where he grew up. The chain has become so recognisable that it now features in his celebrations, connecting his rise on football’s biggest stage with his roots.
Ahead of Curaçao’s historic FIFA World Cup appearance, captain Leandro Bacuna unveiled a custom “Bacuna 10” diamond chain modelled after his national team shirt, complete with his name and squad number. Such pieces reinforce how players increasingly use jewellery to tell personal stories in sports where uniforms otherwise leave little room for individuality.
As the FIFA World Cup continues, the spectacle increasingly extends beyond football itself. Global tournaments are becoming fashion showcases, with players arriving in designer tailoring, luxury watches and customised jewellery before changing into regulation kit.
Baseball and American football: When diamonds enter the game
Baseball has quietly become one of the biggest showcases for on-field jewellery. Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas attracted global attention after wearing a Van Cleef & Arpels sapphire Alhambra necklace during games, treating the Father’s Day gift from his wife as a personal lucky charm.
His teammates embraced similar expressions. Yoshinobu Yamamoto wore a custom blue sapphire tennis necklace, while Enrique “Kiké” Hernández opted for a rainbow sapphire version. Both were created by Happy Jewelers after players requested alternatives to conventional white diamond necklaces.
The jewellers even reinforced internal cables to withstand the demands of sliding, diving and constant impact, illustrating how luxury jewellery is now being engineered specifically for elite sport.
American football has followed a similar path. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ custom $200,000 “Breed of One” diamond necklace became a viral sensation, transforming his personal motto into one of sport’s most recognisable jewellery pieces. Rather than functioning simply as a luxury accessory, it became part of his identity.
LeBron James has long been associated with Cartier bracelets, while Simone Biles’ 546-diamond GOAT necklace celebrated her status as one of gymnastics’ greatest athletes. Track star Tara Davis-Woodall commissioned a pendant depicting her signature pose, while jewellery partnerships involving Roger Federer, Jessica Pegula, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart demonstrate how luxury brands increasingly view athletes as cultural ambassadors rather than just sporting endorsers.
Formula 1 rewrites the paddock dress code
Formula 1 prohibits jewellery during races under FIA safety regulations, yet few sports have embraced fashion as enthusiastically before competition begins.
Lewis Hamilton remains the undisputed architect of Formula 1’s style revolution. Long before luxury became synonymous with the paddock, Hamilton challenged team rules that required drivers to arrive wearing standard uniforms. He successfully pushed for the freedom to arrive in his own clothes before changing into race kit, transforming paddock arrivals into one of motorsport’s biggest fashion moments.
His recent Monaco Grand Prix appearance, featuring a fluorescent sequin-covered sheer shirt paired with tailored trousers, sunglasses and diamond jewellery, generated as much online conversation as qualifying itself. While some attributed the look to his recent relationship with Kim Kardashian, Hamilton’s fashion journey predates that narrative by well over a decade. He has consistently argued that drivers should be free to express themselves rather than conform to outdated expectations.
Glamour with guardrails
Not every sport embraces the sparkle. Football still requires players to remove jewellery before kick-off, Formula 1 bans it during races, while basketball and combat sports impose strict safety restrictions. Tennis remains the standout, allowing fashion and performance to share the same stage.
As Wimbledon unfolds and the FIFA World Cup dominates headlines, one thing is clear: athletes are no longer remembered only for what they achieve, but also for how they express themselves. A necklace can honour where an athlete comes from, a bracelet can become a lucky charm, and a custom pendant can celebrate years of sacrifice that fans never see. In an era where every entrance is photographed and every celebration is replayed, jewellery has become another way for athletes to tell their story.
The medals will always matter more than the diamonds. But in modern sport, the shine no longer ends at the trophy.