FIFA World Cup trophy to land in Korea this week
Former Brazilian international Gilberto Silva, center, stands next to the FIFA World Cup Trophy in New Delhi during the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, Jan. 10. Reuters-Yonhap
The championship trophy for the FIFA World Cup will be showcased in Seoul this week as part of the global tour ahead of the upcoming tournament, the event's organizers announced Wednesday.
Organized by Coca-Cola, the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour will make its two-day stop in the Korean capital starting Friday at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall. The trophy will first be unveiled at a media conference Friday afternoon and will then be open to public viewing Saturday.
The trophy tour began in 2006. The trophy previously made its way to Korea in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022.
For Friday's unveiling, FIFA's global ambassador, former Brazilian international Gilberto Silva, will bring in the trophy. He will be joined by a quartet of retired Korean football stars in Cha Bum-kun, his son Cha Duri, Lee Young-pyo and Koo Ja-cheol.
This year's tour began in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Jan. 3. The trophy will visit 30 FIFA member nations across 75 stops and more than 150 tour days.
Per FIFA rules, only former champions and heads of state may touch the original trophy.
The trophy is awarded to the champions of the World Cup but remains in FIFA's possession. The winning team retains the authentic trophy temporarily and is later awarded the tournament edition trophy, called the Winner's Trophy, for permanent possession.
The authentic trophy is made of solid gold, depicting two human figures holding the globe aloft. The tournament edition is gold-plated, and the year of the given tournament, along with the names of the host country and the champion, will be engraved on it.
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest ever, featuring 48 nations, up from 32. The United States, Canada and Mexico will be the co-host nations from June 11 to July 19.
Korea will make their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance and their 12th overall. They will take on Mexico, South Africa and a European playoff winner in Group A, with all three group matches taking place in Mexico.