The World Cup trophy has landed in Toronto
It’s made of 18-karat gold and can be touched only by former champions and heads of state
The FIFA World Cup trophy arrived at Nathan Phillips Square on Monday afternoon, drawing hundreds of soccer fans, city officials and curious downtown workers for one of the clearest signs yet that Toronto is preparing to host the largest sporting event in its history.
The event was part of a global promotional campaign that is bringing the original trophy to 30 FIFA member nations to be ogled by fans ahead of the 2026 tournament. Nathan Phillips Square was decked out for the occasion, with pop-up soccer pitches, colourful arches and food trucks filling the plaza. City hall was also wrapped in FIFA branding—you couldn’t ask for better symbolism as the city succumbs to World Cup fever.
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Brief speeches from Mayor Olivia Chow, city councillors, FIFA representatives and legendary Italian defender Alessandro Nesta—who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006—served as a lead-up to the trophy’s unveiling.
The trophy itself, made of 18-karat gold and standing just under 37 centimetres tall, was under tight surveillance, displayed inside a secured pavilion in the square. Under FIFA protocol, only heads of state and former World Cup champions are permitted to touch the original trophy. Prime Minister Mark Carney did exactly that during the trophy’s stop in Ottawa on Sunday, lifting it and kissing its gold globe.
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Toronto and Ottawa mark the Canadian legs of an international tour that began earlier this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and will include 75 stops around the world over 150 days.
Fans with tickets can continue viewing the trophy at Nathan Phillips Square through Tuesday. Toronto’s first World Cup match is scheduled for June 12, when Canada opens the tournament against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Alex Cyr is a writer based in Liberty Village. He writes about health, fitness, people and culture. He also contributes to the Globe and Mail and Maclean’s and leads a YouTube channel for runners called Marathon Handbook.
