Doha: Thousands of fans thronged Aspire Park and Industrial Area - Cricket Stadium to get a firsthand look at the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy on the first two days of its countrywide tour.
Fans got a glimpse of the golden trophy ahead of the tournament which is considered one of the most expensive trophies in sports history. Huge crowds flocked to have a selfie with the trophy.
The trophy will go on tour around Qatar which started on Thursday and will continue until Tuesday, May 10. According to Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the events will count as the send-off for the trophy before it embarks on FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola. It will return to Doha for the opening match of the tournament in November at Al Bayt Stadium.
Monir who went to see the trophy, said he was thrilled upon seeing it in person. Nuhman who’s a big football fan said the original trophy is astounding while, Abir, another fan, said it’s surreal seeing the trophy up close. All of them went to Industrial Area - Cricket Stadium yesterday which is the second destination of the trophy tour.
Aside from the selfie with the FIFA World Cup Trophy, fans can also enjoy other activities including a football shooting challenge, family entertainments, face painting, flag making, gaming corner, and musical performances among others.
A 360-degree video selfie is also available where fans will get a chance to have a customised video sent directly to their email address with 200 days to go before FIFA World Cup extravaganza. Stickers and football balls are also being handed out for free.
Today, the trophy will be at Lusail Marina; tomorrow, May 8, at Souq Waqif; on May 9, at Msheireb Downtown Doha, and on May 10, a special send-off will be held at Katara. The public can see it every evening, from 6pm to 9pm.
The golden trophy is 37cm in height with 6kg weight, and is made from 18-carat gold. It depicts two athlete figures holding up the Earth – their shapes reproducing the excitement of victory. It was made by Stabilimento Artistico Bertoni Company in Milan, Italy. The trophy has an engraving FIFA World Cup on its base. A plate on the bottom side of the trophy has the names of the winning countries engraved on it – this is not visible when the trophy is standing upright.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola is a rare opportunity for fans to see the Original Trophy up close and have their experience captured with a photograph. It’s an exciting and exclusive experience since the Trophy is otherwise only displayed at the FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich, during the FIFA World Cup Final Draw and at the final match of every FIFA World Cup.