The Fifa World Cup trophy will tour Kigali on October 10th on it’s an unprecedented journey across the continent in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.

The news of the World Cup trophy coming to Rwanda was confirmed by Bralirwa Marketing Manager, Freddy Biniga Nyangezi who told Times Sport yesterday by telephone.

"It’s confirmed that Rwanda is among the 50 African countries which will host the World Cup Trophy according to confirmations from the Coca Cola.

"The World Cup Trophy will come to Rwanda on October 10 but we are working on a detailed schedule,” said Nyangezi.

During the Trophy Tour, fans will be given the chance to enjoy a rare closer view of the authentic Fifa World Cup Trophy.

Free tickets to the 2009/10 Trophy Tour will be made available to consumers via Coca-Cola promotions in countries on the route.

At events in each city, fans will have the opportunity to have a souvenir photo taken of themselves with the trophy, view a special 3-D movie showcasing memorable moments of the Fifa World Cup, participate in interactive displays and enjoy other entertainment.

During its tour in Rwanda, Coca Cola will distribute free tickets to fans in the country to enable them see the Trophy.

The Coca-Cola and Fifa, football’s world governing body, announced details of the route which will span more than 50 countries during the course of a 70-day tour that will allow thousands of Africans to see the real solid-gold trophy in person.

The initial four-month long leg of the Trophy Tour, which kicks off in Cairo, Egypt on September 24, 2009, was developed through an exclusive partnership between Fifa and Coca-Cola, a Fifa Partner and one of the organization’s longest-standing corporate partners.

On December 3, 2009, the first leg of the tour draws to a close in Cape Town, South Africa, near the time of the 2010 Fifa World Cup Finals draw.

The second leg of the Trophy Tour will see the trophy visit additional countries across the globe from January to April 2010. Dates and cities for that leg have not yet been finalized and will be announced at a later date.

The 2010 Fifa World Cup Trophy draws on the huge success of the first global Trophy Tour held in 2006.

In 2006, the tour visited 31 cities in 29 countries, covering 63,734 miles (102,570 kilometers) with millions of fans around the world enjoying the chance to have a closer look at football’s most famous prize.

The iconic trophy measures 36.8 centimeters (14.5 inches) high, weighs in at 6,175 grams (13.61 pounds) and is made of solid, 18-carat gold.

The winners retain it until the next tournament and are awarded a replica that is gold-plated, rather than solid gold.

The History of Fifa World Cup

With the Jules Rimet Cup now in the permanent possession of Brazil after their third World Cup triumph in Mexico City in 1970, Fifa commissioned a new trophy for the tenth World Cup in 1974.

A total of 53 designs were submitted to Fifa by experts from seven countries, with the final choice being the work of Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga.

He described his creation thus: "The lines spring out from the base, rising in spirals, stretching out to receive the world. From the remarkable dynamic tensions of the compact body of the sculpture rise the figures of two athletes at the stirring moment of victory”.

The current Fifa World Cup Trophy cannot be won outright, as the regulations state that it shall remain Fifa’s own possession.

The Fifa World Cup winners retain it until the next tournament and are awarded a replica, gold-plated rather than solid gold.

The new trophy is 36 cm high, made of solid 18-carat gold and weighs 6175 grammes.

The base contains two layers of semi-precious malachite while the bottom side of the Trophy bears the engraved year and name of each Fifa World Cup winner since 1974.

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