Israel Saria
November 19 is the arrival date of the real World Cup soccer trophy, the Coca-Cola Tanzania marketing manager, Rita Tsesai, announced in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
The Coca-Cola manager said the trophy would be placed at the National Stadium for display to the general public.
The Tanzania Football Federation’s secretary general Fredrick Mwakalebela said plans are underway to organise a friendly soccer match to honour the trophy’s arrival in the country.
The FIFA contingent that brings the trophy in Tanzania are expected to depart on November 21 according to the preliminary tour itinerary.
The arrival date announcement was made before the Minister of State, Vice-President’s Office (Union Affairs), Muhammed Seif Khatib.
The minister hailed Coca-Coca company for their efforts to promote soccer in the country and thanked them for their sponsorship efforts to bring the trophy for the second time in four years.
Khatib was minister for Information, Culture and Sports during the trophy’s first visit in 2006.
The November tour will be no surprise to the soccer fraternity in Tanzania. The trophy visited 31 cities in 29 countries during the 2006 global tour that covered 63,734 miles as fans in the world had an opportunity to watch the trophy with their naked eyes at close range.
FIFA and Coca-Cola intend to have every country in the continent availed with the opportunity to watch the trophy. Cities were selected on the basis of geographical and logistical travelling reservations to ease large gathering of fans.
People visiting the trophy site where it will be displayed will have an opportunity to take some photographs for souvenir purpose.
The authentic-one-and-only solid-gold FIFA World Cup Trophy will tour across African countries on a special chartered flight.
The tour is one of the FIFA and Coca-Cola company efforts to bring awareness ahead of next year’s first ever World championship to be competed on African soil, South Africa.
Security will be tight upon the arrival of the trophy and fans will not be allowed to come so close and touch the trophy though they will be free to take photographs.
World Cup soccer championship was inaugurated way back in 1930 in Monte Video, Uruguay, where the host nation won the title capitalising on home ground advantage.
Brazil is leading for winning the title in a record five times effective in 1958 when they won it in Sweden. Other victories were achieved in 1962 (Chile), 1970 (Mexico), 1994 (US), 2002 (Korea/Japan).
Italy are reigning champions having won their fourth title in 2006 beating France in the thrilling and bizarre filled final played in Germany on July 9.
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