Coca‑Cola to Bring Historic Fifa World Cup™ Trophy to Pakistan

[Lahore, 11th January 2018]: Coca‑Cola will be bringing the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy to Lahore, Pakistan on February 3, 2018 creating a historic occasion giving Pakistani fans the chance to experience football's most coveted prize.

The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca‑Cola will give millions of people around the world the opportunity to get ready to taste the feeling of the world’s largest, most anticipated sporting event – the 2018 FIFA World Cup™. In hosting this momentous, international tour, Coca‑Cola and FIFA invite fans to get up close and personal with the same trophy that is presented by FIFA to the winning country of the FIFA World Cup™. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thousands of fans to see the most iconic symbol in football and share their passion for the game.

Rizwan U. Khan, General Manager of Coca‑Cola Pakistan & Afghanistan remarked that the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy’s visit to Pakistan – a historic first for the country – is a proud moment not only for football fans but for the entire country, as it promotes a softer image of the nation on the global stage. “Pakistan has millions of football enthusiasts and we are extremely excited that Pakistan is able to be a part of the Trophy Tour this year. Coca‑Cola has always been the pioneer in taking initiatives that resonate deeply with the youth and support their development. Be it music, education, environment or sport, Coca‑Cola firmly believes in the power of the young generation in the country. Football is not only an emerging sport in Pakistan but also fast becoming a key platform of self-expression for the youth connecting them beyond social and cultural boundaries.”

The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca‑Cola kicked off in September 2017 in Russia and will visit more than 50 countries across six continents, travelling 126,000 kilometers in the nine months leading up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup™. Within Russia, the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca‑Cola will visit 25 cities – the longest host country tour in history.

A delegation of sixteen Pakistanis, including representatives from media, The Coca‑Cola Company and Pakistan National Football Team, will join the Tour in Chiang Mai, Thailand to receive the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy and bring it to Lahore, Pakistan. The Trophy will remain in Pakistan for one day and will be unveiled for a viewing experience to the media and thousands of Football fans at the Coke Fest in Lahore.

For Pakistani football devotees, the visit of the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy is just the beginning. Following this historic event, Coca‑Cola Pakistan will undertake a series of initiatives across the country to promote and celebrate the fans’ love for Football. In addition to the Trophy Tour, Coca‑Cola will roll out a consumer promotion offering the fans a chance to attend the FIFA World Cup in Russia including a unique opportunity to represent Pakistan at the Coin Toss ceremony in one of the matches.

The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca‑Cola is an extraordinary opportunity for people to take in a piece of football history and share with each other their passion for the sport. The emotions of seeing the FIFA World Cup Original Trophy will stay in football fans’ memory for a long time.

For the latest updates from the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca‑Cola including upcoming tour destinations and dates, exclusive interviews, photos and videos, visit the official website www.fifa.com/trophytour, the official Facebook page www.facebook.com/trophytourand the official Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/trophytour/.

The Coca‑Cola Company has had a long-standing relationship with FIFA since 1976 and has been an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™ since 1978. Coca‑Cola has had stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup™ since 1950 and is a long-time supporter of football at all levels. This is the fourth time that Coca‑Cola and FIFA have come together to bring the Trophy Tour to the world.

The FIFA World Cup Original Trophy is awarded to the winners of the FIFA World Cup™ while remaining in FIFA’s possession. The Trophy is made of solid gold and weighs 6.142 kg, created as a composition of two human figures holding the globe above them. The Original Trophy’s current design dates back to 1974. As one of the most recognized sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, the FIFA World Cup Trophy can only be touched and held by a very select group of people that includes former winners of the FIFA World Cup™ and Heads of State. Because regulations state that the FIFA World Cup Trophy shall remain in FIFA’s possession and cannot be won outright, the team winning the FIFA World Cup™ retains the authentic Trophy temporarily and is then permanently awarded a replica, the FIFA World Cup Winners' Trophy (gold plated, rather than solid gold, and engraved with the year, host country and winner of the respective event).