By Adegboyega Adeleye
The FIFA World Cup trophy will arrive at Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain inside a specially designed Louis Vuitton trunk, continuing the French luxury fashion house’s long-standing partnership with world football’s governing body ahead of the tournament’s showpiece event.
According to Reuters, the bespoke trunk, unveiled in New York on Thursday, will transport football’s most coveted prize to the New York-New Jersey Stadium, where defending champions Argentina face Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Louis Vuitton said the handcrafted trunk features the brand’s signature monogram canvas, gold-plated brass corners and a bold gold “V” representing both “Victory” and “Vuitton.” Its interior is lined with beige leather and includes a commemorative patch celebrating the partnership between FIFA and the luxury brand.
This is the fifth consecutive men’s World Cup in which Louis Vuitton has created the official trophy trunk, having previously designed the cases used at the 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
“For over a decade, Louis Vuitton and FIFA have shared an unwavering commitment to excellence, bound by a shared belief in sport’s power to inspire and bring people together,” Louis Vuitton Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Pietro Beccari said in a statement.
The FIFA World Cup trophy remains one of the most recognisable prizes in global sport and is ordinarily housed at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Its journey to the final is regarded as one of the tournament’s most symbolic traditions.
Luxury brands have become increasingly prominent in elite sport, with Louis Vuitton also producing trophy trunks for Formula One under a long-term partnership, while Tiffany & Co. has crafted the Vince Lombardi Trophy presented to Super Bowl champions since the first edition in 1967.
Sunday’s final will see Lionel Messi’s Argentina attempt to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022 against a Spain side chasing a second FIFA World Cup crown.
