Claim: WAGs was commonly used during the 2006 FIFA World Cup—18th cup held in 12 cities from June 9 to July 9—and has inspired the other acronyms that emerged in 2006, such as CHAPs (“celebrities’ husbands and partners”) and HABs (“husbands and boyfriends”) which all pertain to celebrity relationships.
Evidence: It came into common use during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, although the term had been used occasionally before that. Other imitative acronyms to emerge in 2006 included: CHAPs "celebrities' husbands and partners"; HABs "husbands and boyfriends" for the partners of female tennis players at Wimbledon (and other female athletes); The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000.