Sports reporter
Jammu, Sept 14: World football's greatest prize will spread happiness in Kolkata from December 22 when the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola takes an unprecedented journey around the world in anticipation of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The Coca-Cola Company in partnership with FIFA and All India Football Association (AIFF) will be working together to bring the real and the coveted FIFA World Cup Trophy to India for the second time, the first time being early 2010.
This will allow thousands of football fans in Kolkata to see the real solid-gold trophy in person. The trophy will travel to 88 countries around the globe over a nine month period. The arrival of the trophy in India also coincides with the celebration of 20 years of Coca-Cola's presence in the country.
Announcing Coca-Cola's decision to bring the FIFA World Cup to India, vice president, Marketing of Coca- Cola India, Anupama Ahluwalia said, "We are thrilled to once again bring the FIFA World Cup Trophy to India and what better venue than the city of football lovers - Kolkata. We are sure that the trophy tour will provide a great impetus to the nation's passion for the sport of football."
"We are elated to join hands with Coca-Cola again to stage the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour2013, said, secretary general of AIFF, Kushal Das.
In 2010, when Coca-Cola and FIFA took the trophy to 94 cities in 84 countries, it provided more than 500,000 fans across five continents, an opportunity to be a part of the trophy tour celebrations. FIFA World Cup winners including Pele, LotharMatthaus, and Christian Karembeu shared their world cup experience during the Trophy Tour.
The authentic, FIFA World Cup is awarded to the winning nation at each tournament. The iconic trophy measures 36.8 centimetres (14.5 inches) high, weighs in at 6,175 grams (13.61 pounds) and is made of solid, 18-carat gold.
The winners retain it until the next tournament and are awarded a replica that is gold-plated, rather than solid gold. |
