World Cup comes to Macoya

THE Coca Cola-sponsored FIFA World Cup Trophy will be in Trinidad on Thursday and Friday (February 16 and 17), at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Tunapuna. Expected to lead the delegation to Trinidad and Tobago is legendary German footballer Franz “Kaiser” Beckenbauer, who is the chairman of the Germany 2006 World Cup Organising Committee. On Thursday, there will be a press briefing at 9 am followed by the unveiling of social organisations at 11.30 am, an employee event at 2.30 pm, a customer event an hour later, a bottler event at 4.30 pm, a customer event at 6 pm and a special guests dinner from 8 pm.

The trophy will be available for viewing from 9 am until 9 pm on Friday, with special guests having their opportunity from 9-10.30 am, while school groups and members of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) view from 10.30 am until 3 pm, when members of the public will be allowed their chance. Coca-Cola is the official sponsor of both the game’s governing body FIFA and the World Cup Trophy Tour and, as a promotional venture (Text to COKE promotion), have encouraged customers to text the code found under the caps of a 20-ounce Coca Cola bottle to 2653 in order to win a ticket to the event.

The public will be specially treated at the event, as they will have the opportunity to have their photos taken with the trophy. The patrons can also witness a specially created short feature film - produced using the latest 3-D technology - that builds to the unveiling of the actual World Cup trophy. There will also be initiatives, organised by the Coca-Cola company, for the local fans. The Coca-Cola 2006 FIFA World Cup International Flag Bearers Youth Programme will cater for local teenagers, between the ages of 12-16, to go to Germany as official national flag bearers.

They will be joined by teenagers from all over the globe as well as hundreds of German teens to comprise a “Flag Team” contingent that will carry the national flags at all the World Cup games. The company, via the World Cup promotions, will be giving fans the chance to win exciting World Cup premium prizes and, after the tournament, consumers and customers will have the chance to earn pieces of authentic memorabilia, including the Adidas match balls used at the competition.

According to information from the FIFA website, the current trophy cannot be won outright, as the regulations state that it shall remain FIFA’s own possession. The World Cup winners retain it until the next tournament and are awarded a replica, gold-plated rather than solid gold. The new trophy is 36 centimetres high, made of solid 18-carat gold and weighs 4,970 grammes. The base contains two layers of semi-precious malachite and has room for 17 small plaques bearing the name of the winners—  space enough for the World Champions up to the year 2038.