On Thursday, FIFA introduced a new gold trophy, crafted in partnership with Tiffany & Co., for the upcoming and controversial expanded edition of the Club World Cup.
This trophy, which features a stunning 24-carat gold-plated finish, will be awarded to the champions of the tournament scheduled to take place in the United States next year.
Despite significant criticism from players’ unions and various leagues, FIFA is confident about the future of the tournament, which will allow for engraving the logos of winning clubs for the next 96 years.
“The new 32-team FIFA Club World Cup is innovative, inclusive, groundbreaking, and truly global, and deserves a trophy that embodies all of these attributes,” stated FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
He added, “This trophy is prestigious and timeless—a symbol of the future while also being inspired by our past.”
Pictures released by FIFA depict the trophy as a collection of discs that can adapt from a shield to a dynamic “multifaceted and orbital structure.”
The design includes engravings in 13 different languages, as well as Braille, and is hosted on a black base adorned with FIFA’s emblem in a gold typeface.
FIFA noted that the trophy has ample space for engraving the logos of the winners across 24 iterations of this new quadrennial tournament.
The trophy’s design also takes cues from historical elements like NASA’s Voyager deep-space missions from the 1970s, the periodic table, maps of groundbreaking journeys, and concepts from astronomy.
Each tournament victor will receive a replica of this prestigious trophy.
“The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy marks the next milestone in our lengthy history of producing the most esteemed representations of athletic success,” remarked Tiffany & Co. CEO Anthony Ledru.
The Club World Cup is set to take place in June and July of next year and has increased in size from seven teams to 32.
This expansion has raised alarms from the global players’ union, FIFPRO, concerning the rising physical and psychological pressures placed on players.
Current Ballon d’Or winner Rodri indicated in September that players were close to considering a strike due to the overwhelming number of matches they are required to compete in.
Additionally, FIFPRO’s European division has collaborated with national leagues to petition the European Union regarding FIFA’s approach in adding more extensive men’s competitions.
However, many of Europe’s elite clubs have welcomed the revamped format, as FIFA aims for this competition to become one of the premier club events globally, alongside prestigious leagues such as the Premier League and the Champions League.
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