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FIFA World Cup trophy to arrive in Korea this week as part of global tour

Published: 14 Jan. 2026, 16:28 Updated: 14 Jan. 2026, 17:38

Poster for the Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy event set to be held on Jan. 16 in Korea [COCA-COLA]

The FIFA World Cup trophy will return to Korea this week, marking its first visit to the country in four years.

Coca-Cola Korea said Wednesday that the trophy will arrive Friday on a chartered flight. The visit is part of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, organized by Coca-Cola ahead of the 2026 tournament.

The global tour began in Saudi Arabia on Jan. 3. The next World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in June.

The trophy on tour will be awarded to the champions at this year's tournament. Launched in 2006, the tour marks its 20th anniversary this year. Korea will host the trophy for the fifth time.

The Korean national football team has already qualified for the tournament, setting a major milestone with 12 consecutive World Cup appearances.

Organizers will first present the trophy to the media on Friday. It will then be open to the public on Saturday at a fan event at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in central Seoul.

A photo of Akron Stadium, a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue, in Guadalajara, Mexico, that was taken on Oct. 16, 2025 [AP/YONHAP]

The event will give football fans a rare chance to see the World Cup’s iconic trophy up close.

Coca-Cola has served as an official FIFA World Cup sponsor since 1978. A Coca-Cola Korea official said the company was excited to share “the energy of victory” the trophy represents with local fans as a longtime supporter of Korean football.

The Korea stop, one of 30 countries on the global tour, is expected to further build anticipation for the tournament.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO SEUNG-PYO [[email protected]]