Nigeria will be watching from a distance as the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy arrives in West Africa, with Côte d’Ivoire set to host the iconic prize on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, as part of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola.
The visit marks a major highlight for football fans in the WAFU-B Zone, offering a rare opportunity to see the most prestigious trophy in world football up close ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to kick off in June across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the trophy will be showcased at the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan’s Cocody district, following a series of symbolic stops across the globe.
The event is expected to attract football enthusiasts from across the region, celebrating West Africa’s deep passion for the global game.
The ongoing Trophy Tour is commemorating its 20th anniversary and began on January 3, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The tour spans more than 150 days, covering 75 stops across 30 FIFA Member Associations worldwide. Recent destinations include Cairo, Istanbul, Vienna, Delhi, Dhaka, Seoul, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, with South African fans recently viewing the trophy in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Future stops include Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Brazil.
A major North American leg will run from March to May 2026, featuring a 71-day journey across the three host nations. The tour will visit all 16 host cities and 22 additional markets, beginning in Los Angeles on March 24, before moving through cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
At each stop, fans are treated to an immersive experience that includes viewing the solid-gold Original Trophy, interactive football challenges, appearances by FIFA Legends, music and fan engagement activities. Attendance is free, with fans required to register in advance on a first-come, first-served basis.
However, Nigeria is not officially listed as a stop on the 2026 Trophy Tour.
The Super Eagles’ absence is linked to their current status in the qualification cycle. Nigeria finished second in their CAF qualifying group behind South Africa and later fell short in the CAF play-offs, losing the final to DR Congo in November 2025.
The Nigeria Football Federation has since lodged a formal appeal with FIFA, alleging the use of ineligible players by DR Congo during the play-off final.
While a favourable ruling could potentially reopen Nigeria’s path to the tournament, the country is, for now, considered out of the 2026 World Cup.
With Trophy Tour stops typically prioritised for host cities and qualified nations, Nigeria’s exclusion reflects its uncertain standing in the current World Cup cycle, leaving fans to follow the historic tour from afar as it makes its celebrated stop in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire.
