By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: For the first time ever in Kuwait, the FIFA World Cup original trophy was unveiled in Kuwait City on Monday, giving Kuwait fans a chance to experience football's most coveted prize, as the fifth FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola continues its journey to 51 countries and territories.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yusef Al Sabah, President of Kuwait Football Association, FIFA Ambassador Gilberto Silva and Khalid Al-Muzaire, CEO, Refreshment Trading Company (RTC), Coca-Cola's bottling partner in Kuwait, came together at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Cultural Centre for a special VIP press event to reveal the most prized trophy in the world and celebrate the real magic of the world's largest, most anticipated sporting event - the FIFA World Cup 2022. Also in attendance was Salah Eissa Al-Qenaei, General Secretary of Kuwait Football Association and international team player Bader Al-Mutawaa.

Khalid Al-Muzaire said: "We are excited to help bring the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola to the State of Kuwait to give fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the original FIFA World Cup Trophy. Like when in 1982, the Kuwait national team became the first from the Gulf to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, we hope this event will inspire a spirit of hope and optimism for a bright future for the youth of the country, who we at Coca-Cola are keen to support. We express our sincere thanks and gratitude to FIFA and the Kuwait Football Association for their partnership in making today's event a success and we look forward to seeing the impact it has on everyone who is here today."

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yusef Al-Sabah said: "In the world of sports, no symbol stands stronger than the FIFA World Cup Trophy. It is an honor to host the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola in Kuwait - it provides an incredible opportunity for football and sports fans across Kuwait to experience this iconic symbol in person. This is the first time that FIFA World Cup Original Trophy arrives in our country, and it will undoubtedly be source of inspiration for our existing and future football stars."

Bader Al-Mutawaa expressed his happiness for having the trophy in Kuwait. "I feel honored to be one of those welcoming the FIFA World Cup original trophy during its tour in Kuwait along with Kuwait's veteran football stars on its arrival at the airport. It was a dream to have the trophy in Kuwait and this dream came true. We hope that the coming World Cup will be the best edition, as Qatar has hosted many international championships and events before, and all were successful and always received positive feedback, so we expect the same for the World Cup. We wish them success," he said.

Gilberto Silva noted that he knows firsthand how lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy can excite millions of fans across the world. "It is an honor to be here in Kuwait. I've seen firsthand the passion for football across the Middle East. With 51 stops across the world, I've no doubt the Tour by Coca-Cola will inspire and engage an unprecedented number of fans and future rising stars from this region," he said.

"This tour of the trophy gives an opportunity for people to see the trophy closely. I'm glad to be in Kuwait due to their achievements in football. There are many fans of Brazilian football here. I hope this trophy will inspire future generations," added Silva. Kuwait's passion for football is well-known, and the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Cultural Centre was a fitting location to continue the global tour.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will visit 51 countries and territories, bringing Coca-Cola and FIFA one step closer to visiting all 211 Football Nations by 2030. For the first time ever, the tour will visit all 32 FIFA World Cup qualifying countries, inspiring fans across the world through exclusive consumer experiences. As well as Kuwait, the tour will make several debut stops across the Middle East, visiting UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Lebanon. The tour will visit Saudi Arabia as the penultimate destination, before reaching the host country Qatar.