The brand new FIFA Club World Cup trophy was presented to the world for the first time at the tournament's draw event—and it's a thing of beauty.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, with help from legendary striker Ronaldo, unveiled the the new design on stage. A new format for the Club World Cup will see 32 teams from across the globe compete for a chance to be crowned in the final at MetLife Stadium. The expansion and reinvigoration of the tournament merited a new, more grandiose prize. FIFA delivered just that.
A post shared by Gianni Infantino – FIFA President (@gianni_infantino)
With a 24-carat gold-plated finish, the design of the new trophy is bold, luxurious and worthy of a champion. Images and text from the sport's rich history are engraved all over the rings of the trophy. The names of the 211 country members of FIFA are also listed.
The design took inspiration from multiple, diverse concepts. NASA's Voyager missions, the periodic table, maps of discovery journeys and astronomy, all played a roll in the conceptualization of the trophy.
A key can unlock the trophy and turn it from a plate shaped structure into a celestial one. The rings opening resemble the alignment of the planets at the time of two specific dates: The date of FIFA's founding on May 21, 1904, and the date of the opening match of the tournament on June 15, 2025.
Space along one of the trophy's rings remains empty so that the emblems of the next 24 champions can be engraved into it.
FIFA designed the trophy and it was crafted in collaboration with one of the world's most prestigious luxury jewelers: Tiffany & Co.
The U.S. company has a rich history of manufacturing some of the worlds most recognized trophies, especially in America. The Vince Lombardi trophy in the NFL, the Commissioner's trophy in the MLB, the Larry O'Brien trophy in the NBA, were all crafted by Tiffany & Co.
Regarding the new trophy, Tiffany's President and CEO, Anthony Ledru, said: "With a legacy dating back 160 years, Tiffany & Co. has crafted some of the most iconic championship trophies in history, setting the standard for craft and design. The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy is the next chapter in our long history of creating the world’s most revered symbols of athletic achievement.”
In previous editions of the competitions the winners took home much simpler and smaller trophy. A golden base with the name of the competition engraved held up thin, flexible, silver pillars that nested a golden soccer ball with a map of the world at the top.
Players would often hold the trophy with one hand, something that's not likely to happen with its new and bigger replacement. Needless to say, the new version of the trophy is a worthy improvement.
The new trophy will go on a journey around the globe before the start of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 next summer.
The tour will begin on Jan. 16, 2025 in a yet to be disclosed Tiffany's in New York. The trophy will then be taken to all 32 teams participating in the tournament with dates to be announced, so that fans from across the world can get a glimpse of it before the action of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 begins.
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Roberto Casillas is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer covering Liga MX, the Mexican National Team & Latin American players in Europe. He is a die hard Cruz Azul and Chelsea fan.
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