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KARACHI: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) may have been suspended by the FIFA and Pakistan failed to qualify for 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, but the 2018 FIFA World Cup trophy is coming to Pakistan.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be played in Russia this summer. A total of 32 teams will contest to become the Football’s world champion.
Pakistan failed to edge past pre-qualifiers for the event. However, the fans in Pakistan will still have an opportunity to have a glimpse of glittering World Cup trophy at home.
The trophy will arrive in Pakistan on February 3 for a day, thanks to the official sponsors of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Trophy tour.
“The trophy, after arriving in Lahore, will be taken to two or three different venues of the city,” said a source privy to the matter.
However, Pakistan Football Federation will have no role in Trophy tour to Pakistan and the event is purely being conducted by the FIFA and sponsors.
Pakistan Football Federation was suspended by FIFA over third-party interference last year, which means FIFA will have no official contacts with the PFF.
“We want to revive football in Pakistan and this trophy tour is a step in the right direction to drive interest among football fans in Pakistan,” said an official.
After a day in Lahore, the trophy will be taken to Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The FIFA World Cup trophy, introduced in 1974, is made of 18 karat gold with a malachite base, it stands 36.8 centimeters high and weighs 6.1 kilograms. The trophy depicts two human figures holding up the earth.
A formal announcement in this regard will be made on Thursday.