63 matches, 32 teams, 11 venues: the new FIFA Club World Cup, which is set to take place in the USA from 15 June to 13 July, is beginning to take shape: Until tomorrow, the winner's trophy will be in Munich as part of the official Trophy Tour, which is showcasing it in the cities of the participating clubs. It's accessible to all fans at the FC Bayern World, the club's flagship store in the heart of Munich right next to Marienplatz, where the German record champions celebrate their titles on the town hall balcony. "I hope FC Bayern will be the first thing engraved on this trophy. The fact that we can compete with the best 32 teams from every continent, especially in our 125th anniversary year, is something special," said Jan-Christian Dreesen. The FC Bayern CEO unveiled the trophy alongside club legend Giovane Élber in the penthouse suite of the Do&Co Hotel on the top floor of the FC Bayern World. During the unveiling, the towers of the Frauenkirche were visible, towering stylishly behind the two FCB representatives on the roof terrace.
Check out our picture gallery for impressions of the Club World Cup trophy unveiling at the FC Bayern World:
FC Bayern have won the Club World Cup (formerly Continental Cup) four times so far: in 1976, 2001, 2013 and in the historic sextuple 2020/2021 season. Élber played in the 2001 final in Tokyo when Sammy Kuffour scored the 109th-minute winner in the 1-0 against Boca Juniors. "That was fantastic; this trophy has always been very important for us South Americans," said the Brazilian, "and now the focus is even greater globally. In South America, people have been discussing who will win for months." Boca, the club steeped in tradition from Argentina, are the German record champions' group opponents alongside Auckland City from New Zealand and Benfica. Élber: "This Club World Cup will also be a terrific warm-up for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico." The tournament is "a great opportunity to communicate our football and club culture even better to fans in the States," Dreesen continued, referring to the successful joint venture with Los Angeles FC as part of FCB's ‘Red & Gold’ programme and the fact that the club has had its own office in New York since 2014: "We want to continue our involvement on the continent to give FC Bayern an even greater presence."
FC Bayern are planning to set up base in Orlando until the quarter-finals, then move to New York depending on how things go. Dreesen hopes that lots of fans will come to the games: "We currently have 137 fan clubs in the USA with a total of over 10,600 members. The closeness to the fans is always an important element for us, so we're now happy that our fans there, who usually only get to watch us regularly on TV will have the opportunity to see us play live." According to the CEO, the goal is clear: "We want to achieve the best possible result." Dreesen gave assurances that the opponents would by no means be taken lightly: "Only two out of four teams will progress after the group stage, but all of them are to be taken seriously. Our group is a prime example of an interesting mix: Benfica are a European club steeped in tradition who we know very well, Boca are a world-famous club with a large and emotional fan base, and Auckland are a team who can surprise anyone. Of course, our ambition is to come first."
The Club World Cup trophy is a work of art consisting of three rings, some of which are movable. The inner disc shows a map of the world and symbols of football culture. The first ring shows the original laws of the game from 1863, the second the inscription ‘To those who hold this trophy, history belongs to you’ in 13 languages and the third the words ‘Club World Cup’. Anyone wishing to take a closer look at the trophy in Munich will also be able to meet FCB mascot Berni at the FC Bayern World for a while on Tuesday. The trophy's next stop will be Salzburg.
Get more information on the FIFA Club World Cup here:
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