WORLD CUP HYPE: FIFA & COCA-COLA LAUNCH BIGGEST EVER TROPHY TOUR FOR 2026
The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola is back, bigger than ever! The trophy will visit 75 cities across 30 nations ahead of the 2026 tournament in North America.
Coca-Cola and FIFA are teaming up once again for the sixth FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour. This means fans all over the world get a chance to see the real FIFA World Cup™ Trophy before the FIFA World Cup 2026™. And get this—the 2026 World Cup is going to be huge, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with more teams, games, and celebrations than ever.
Coca-Cola, a longtime FIFA partner, gets exclusive rights to the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour. It all starts on Jan. 3, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The trophy will then hit 30 FIFA member countries, making around 75 stops over 150 days. Football fans get this rare opportunity to see the trophy.
Mickael Vinet, vice president at Coca-Cola, said, Football brings people together, no matter where you're from. He added that the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour has connected fans to the excitement of the game for 20 years. As the trophy heads to the biggest World Cup ever, they're celebrating the passion, loyalty, and togetherness that make football the world's favourite sport.
The tour will stop in all three 2026 host countries, plus future host nations like Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil. Each stop will feature cool stuff for fans, like brand experiences, football challenges, and content with FIFA legends.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola. Over the years, more than 4 million fans in over 182 markets have been part of it.
Romy Gai, FIFA’s Chief Business Officer, noted that the FIFA World Cup Trophy is a global symbol and Coca-Cola is a well-known brand. He said their partnership has united fans with the magic of the World Cup for two decades. The trophy has already visited 182 of FIFA’s 211 member countries, and this tour will be special as they celebrate the tour's 20th anniversary and prep for the biggest FIFA World Cup ever in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
For over a century, Coca-Cola has been a symbol of optimism and refreshment. As the world gears up for the FIFA World Cup, Coca-Cola will keep fans refreshed with local favourites and drinks like Coca-Cola and Powerade.
Also, the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola promotes good causes in local areas. Coca-Cola will partner with local teams to help with sustainability plans, like collecting and recycling packaging.
THOMAS TUCHEL NAMES EXPANDED ENGLAND SQUAD FEATURING FOUR SURPRISE NEW INCLUSIONS
Thomas Tuchel hands maiden England call-ups to James Garner and Jason Steele while omitting Trent Alexander-Arnold.
James Garner from Everton and Brighton’s goalkeeper Jason Steele have earned their first call-ups to the England squad. Alongside them, AC Milan’s defender Fikayo Tomori and Tottenham’s forward Dominic Solanke have also been included. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw did not make the cut this time.
Jude Bellingham, despite being sidelined since early February due to a hamstring injury, is still part of the squad. Experienced centre-back Harry Maguire, now 33, has the chance to add to his 64 caps, while 20-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who started in the Euro 2024 final, is also selected. Both last represented England in September 2024 but have been rewarded for Manchester United’s recent good form, which has lifted them to third place in the Premier League.
Luke Shaw, pushing for inclusion, has been overlooked once again. Instead, Tuchel has called up Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, marking his first call-up since Tuchel took over.
This squad is larger than usual, with players arriving in two phases during the international window. Tuchel explained on the Football Association’s website that the first group includes players who haven’t played much recently, aiming to broaden competition for spots in the upcoming US tour. Then, from Friday to Saturday, another group will join, including some who’ve had a short rest, to mix things up for the match against Japan.
England will face Uruguay at Wembley on March 27, followed by a home game against Japan on March 31. Looking ahead, the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with England considered among the contenders.
Here’s the full squad breakdown:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle), Jason Steele (Brighton)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)
WHY CAF STRIPPED SENEGAL OF THEIR AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS TITLE
Following a final walk-off, Senegal has lost its AFCON trophy in the boardroom, prompting an appeal to CAS by the FSF.
Moussa Niakhate finally spoke out after the Confederation of African Football’s shocking decision to take Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy away. After that wild walk-off in the final against Morocco, CAF backed an appeal and handed the host nation a 3-0 win by default. Senegalese players were furious; who wouldn’t be?
The boardroom decision completely flipped African football on its head. Two months after the final, the CAF Appeal Board tossed out Senegal’s victory and gave Morocco the win. It all started deep into stoppage time when VAR gave Morocco a penalty. Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s manager, lost it and told his players to leave the field. Eventually, they came back and finished the match. Still, officials said the walk-off broke tournament rules, so they took the title away. Brutal.
Niakhate, the 30-year-old defender who was key in Senegal’s backline, got asked about it before Lyon’s Europa League match with Celta. He’d already posted a photo with his medal and the trophy right after the ruling. He made it clear: nothing a boardroom says can erase what happened on the pitch. He said, “Out of respect for the club and with the crucial match in mind, I don’t want to go into too much detail. You saw my reaction on social media; it’s the same today. What I can say is that nothing has changed for me compared to what we went through in January. I’ll have time to talk about it again in due course; for now, I’m going to stay focused on Lyon.”
That final in Rabat was pure chaos, even before Senegal won 1-0 on the field. Most players followed Thiaw down the tunnel, but Sadio Mane stayed, urging his teammates to come back. Brahim Diaz took the penalty but tried a Panenka, and Edouard Mendy caught it easily. The game went to extra time, Papa Gueye scored, and Senegal thought they were champions again. It didn't matter; the walk-off cost them everything. The committee called it a 3-0 forfeit.
It’s harsh for a team that believed they’d gone back-to-back. Niakhate, who started six out of seven games, is now focusing on Lyon’s European campaign. Still, that boardroom drama isn’t going away, not with the international break coming up. Senegal’s already planning to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
