The Fifa World Cup trophy will be on public display from 10am on Monday on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche.
This is the UAE stop on the 90-nation, nearly 150,000-kilometre tour of the six-kilogramme statue that will be presented to the world champions in Brazil next summer.
Viewing the 36.5-centimetre prize is the final component of the Trophy Tour Fan Zone, which is set up at the tented Malaib Centre, on the landward side of the Corniche.
According to a tour spokesman, fans will see a larger-than-life Brazuca football, have a chance to play video football on PlayStation and participate in a shoot-and-score competition. The Brazil mascot, Fuleco, will make an appearance.
The trophy arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport last night. It has visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar so far, and it moves on to Bangladesh tomorrow before stopping in Bhutan, Nepal, India, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam throughout the remainder of the calendar year.
The trophy’s tour will encompass 267 days. It is the third time the ultimate prize in international football has embarked on a world tour, having also done so before the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
Coca-Cola is the sponsor of the Trophy Tour.
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