Seoul: The iconic championship trophy for the FIFA World Cup made its stop in Seoul as part of the global tour prior to the upcoming tournament. Organized by Coca-Cola, the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour began its two-day stop in the South Korean capital at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall. Following its unveiling for the media, the trophy will be open to public viewing.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the first trophy tour took place in 2006, with previous stops in South Korea in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2022. Gilberto Silva, FIFA's global ambassador and a member of the 2002 World Cup-winning Brazilian team, brought the trophy from Bangladesh on a special chartered flight. At the showcase, the former midfielder was joined by South Korean football figures Cha Bum-kun, Cha Duri, Lee Young-pyo, and Koo Ja-cheol.

This year's trophy tour started in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 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 feature a record 48 nations, up from 32, with the United States, Canada, and Mexico serving as co-hosts from June 11 to July 19. South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, will make their 11th consecutive World Cup appearance and their 12th overall. They have been drawn into Group A with Mexico, South Africa, and a European playoff winner to be determined in March. All three group matches for South Korea will be played in Mexico.