The Colombian national soccer team still isn’t guaranteed a spot in the 2014 World Cup, but the trophy will be making a stop in the country either way.
Earlier this week, FIFA announced the official international tour schedule for its iconic World Cup trophy.
The 92,000-mile tour, sponsored by Coca-Cola, soccer’s longtime corporate friend and business partner, will take the trophy through 88 countries in the buildup to Rio 2014, stopping in Colombia for a brief stint in January during its South and Central American circuit.
According to FIFA officials, the trophy will be displayed at the El Campin stadium in Bogota for two days this coming January. The Colombian soccer federation has not announced any planned promotional or spectator events, but it’s likely that President Juan Manuel Santos will be the only person in the entire country granted the distinct honor of touching the 14-pound solid gold sculpture, which, as per Coca-Cola and FIFA policy, may only be handled by heads of state and former champions.
With zero World Cup championships to its name, the Colombian national team will have to wait until 2014 for the chance to have one of its players lay hands the trophy.
First, though, the ‘Tricolor’ will need to win at least one point in its next and final World Cup Qualifiers, scheduled for mid-October.
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