Behind-the-scenes Smart Rings are playing a part in England’s dramatic run to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup. Harry Kane and Declan Rice are Oura Ring ambassadors that actually benefit from their commercial deal.
In elite sports, recovery is everything. It starts from the final jump or last whistle in a football game. Players follow a nutrition plan, take part in low-impact activities like easy swimming and ice baths, among other strategies. One of the most important post-game recoveries is sleep.
Smart Rings are the most convenient way to track sleep due to the position of their sensors on the body and their week-long battery life. I’ve been testing Oura Ring 5 , the same device used by Kane and Rice, and so far I think it’s the best of its type. I’m no elite athlete, but the importance of sleep tracking cannot be overstated. Although smartwatches are excellent, not everyone is comfortable with wearing a watch 24/7. It also needs recharging every day or two. The battery life of a smart ring puts it into a different league.
“Leading my country into this major tournament means every single percentage matters,” said England Captain Harry Kane.
“When you’re competing on the world stage, knowing exactly when to push your body and prioritise recovery is key to securing those extra gains. With the personalised insights from my Oura Ring, I can track my performance and recovery in real-time and ensure I’m always ready to perform at my absolute best.”
Oura Ring 5 is not just a valuable fitness tool; it also looks the part. It’s been reduced by 40% in volume compared with the previous version. But at its core is the ability to track sleep through sensors in the inner surface of the ring.
Although England Football has plenty of technology at its disposal, the fact that Kane and Rice can monitor their sleep recovery with their own devices ensures they are also taking responsibility for their recovery.
“When you’re training and competing at the highest level, taking care of yourself in every aspect—physically, mentally, and through recovery—is absolutely essential,” said England Vice-Captain Declan Rice.
“That’s why this partnership makes so much sense. It’s a great product, but it’s also helping me maximise my potential on and off the pitch. I have used the Oura Ring previously, but now it’s part of my everyday routine—it’s been a game changer.”
This is a big deal for Oura because stars like Kane and Declan are right in the middle of the world’s biggest sporting event. This is one of those tech partnerships that actually makes sense.
“Harry and Declan embody what Oura stands for in sport,” said Doug Sweeny, chief marketing officer at Oura.
“They compete at the highest level, but they also understand that peak performance isn’t built through training alone—it’s shaped in the hours away from the spotlight, through sleep, recovery, balance, and knowing when to reset. The real competitive edge today isn’t simply doing more; it’s having the clarity to listen to your body and give it what it needs to perform at its best. That’s where Oura comes in, and why we’re so excited to partner with athletes who truly understand the power of recovery.”
The good thing for users, whether they be pro athletes or average citizens, is that Oura is not just signing sports stars for marketing. This means the tech has to be up to scratch. Credibility counts when it comes to sports tech and success.
The Kane/Rice deal follows several big investments in global sports:
Based on the text provided, here are the sports, events, and teams Oura has aligned with:
- Multi-Sport / Olympic & Paralympic Games
- Team USA: Official Wearable for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes across the 2026 and 2028 Games (LA28).
- Team Finland: Extended a long-term partnership as the Official Wearable running through to the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.
- Soccer (Football)
- U.S. Soccer: Named the Official Wearable across all 27 National Teams, as well as a Founding Partner of the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center.
- Tennis
- United States Tennis Association (USTA) / US Open: Signed a five-year deal to become the first official wearable partner of the US Open, integrating into coaching and membership programs.
We’ll see if the England duo of Kane and Rice have sufficiently recovered ahead of their semi-final against Argentina tomorrow.
