World Cup trophy arrives Thursday

By Taromane Martin

THE FIFA World Cup trophy will arrive in the country on Thursday as it makes it tour round the world.

Solomon Islands will be seventh country in the world and second in Oceania region to host the WC trophy on its way to the Russia FIFA World Cup in June.

The cups journey started in London on Monday, with former Italian World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo amongst those that held and were part of the send-off ceremony.

It travelled to the Asian continent stopping at Colombo Sri Lanka, Male Maldives, Phuket Thailand, Vientiane Laos and then Macau, China PR.

The WC Cup will arrive in Oceania on January 31 stopping first at Nukualofa Tonga before travelling to Solomon Islands and then Papua New Guinea on February 1.

Fans from ninety-one cities across 51 countries and six continents will get the chance of a life time to see the trophy.

FIFA and sponsor Coca Cola introduced the tour in 2006 and will take it across over 50 countries before the World Cup finals in Russia in July 2018.

Fans will be able to see the original World Cup trophy which usually sits in the FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich and have their picture taken with it and is a rare opportunity.

“As football fans around the world gear up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, we want to make sure they are ready for all of the emotions that this summer’s tournament will bring,” said Ricardo Fort, vice president, global sports partnerships, The Coca-Cola Company.

“The Trophy Tour will give fans everywhere a taste of the excitement that’s to come, not to mention a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the Trophy for themselves.”

From PNG the cup will continue its way through Asia going through Europe, Africa, North America and then South America– taking in all six FIFA confederations.

The Cup will arrive in Osaka, Japan on April 29-30 before travelling to Vladivostok Russia on May 1.

The FIFA World Cup trophy was created in 1974 to replace the Jules Rimet trophy and is one of the most famous in world football.

Football fans and players are never allowed to touch the World Cup trophy. Only players who have won the cup or heads of state can touch the solid-gold trophy.

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