From the roar of packed stadiums to the glow of digital galleries, the legacy of Pelé continues to evolve. As FIFA World Cup fever grips the world, the game and its fandom is finding an equally energetic home in galleries, museums, corporate showcases and public art spaces.
This year, FIFA celebrates football’s greatest icon through exhibitions and global storytelling. Murals, installations and digital showcases are transforming Pelé from sporting legend into a cultural symbol. Recently, a towering 31-foot-tall statue of the Brazilian football legend was unveiled in the Mexican city of Guadalajara. The monument, which stands in Plaza Brazil outside Jalisco Stadium, is a tribute to Pele’s achievements and legacy and his historic connection to the city, having played at the venue during the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Interestingly, Brazil won the title that year.
The FIFA Museum in Zurich marks its 10th anniversary this year. It launches a year-long programme of events, including the launch of the new digital exhibition ‘The Magic 10: Legends of the Beautiful Game’.
Through the stories of 10 legendary players, the exhibition highlights how those who wore the number have shaped matches and inspired generations of fans and players around the world. The first chapter, dedicated to Pelé, is now available, revisiting defining moments of his career and his lasting impact on the game, while highlighting selected objects from the official FIFA Museum collection.
Immersive Fan Experiences
Museums are also curating football-themed exhibitions timed during the World Cup, while brands are opening immersive memorabilia experiences. One of the most talked-about cultural showcases is ‘Legacies of Champions,’ an immersive exhibition by the FIFA Museum in New York’s Rockefeller Center. Open during the World Cup season, the exhibition traces nearly a century of football history through original objects, iconic jerseys, trophies, multimedia storytelling, and interactive installations. One can explore exhibits from every World Cup tournament since 1930 and view rare memorabilia, including the historic Jules Rimet Trophy.
In Mexico, football and contemporary art merge in the exhibition ‘Football & Art: A Shared Emotion’ at the Museo Jumex in Mexico City. The exhibition explores football through themes such as identity, gender, community, politics, and collective emotion. Meanwhile, in Texas, the Arlington Museum of Art is hosting ‘More Than a Match’, an exhibition featuring memorabilia, scarves, jerseys, archival material, maps, and contemporary artworks.
High Tech and Global Art
Technology is also playing a major role this year. In Vancouver, one of the tournament’s host cities, the iconic Science World dome is being transformed into ‘The Beautiful Dome,’ inspired by the official World Cup match ball design. The 40-metre, 360-degree installation recreates the look of the tournament’s official match ball, the Adidas Trionda.
In fact, Science World, a popular, interactive science centre in Vancouver is hosting the FIFA Museum exhibition titled ‘Soccer & Technology’ till September. It explores the innovations powering modern football, featuring field-side video assistant referee monitors, intelligent match data, and iconic historical artefacts.
Apart from the host countries — US, Canada, and Mexico — a new wave of FIFA-inspired public art, exhibitions and museums around the world is being celebrated. Football-inspired art is thriving in independent creative spaces as well. In Houston, artists transformed ordinary soccer balls into sculptural works for the exhibition ‘Ballet of the Masses.’ Over 50 redesigned footballs, decorated with rhinestones, portraits, mixed-media techniques, and experimental materials, float through gallery space, turning a familiar sporting object into contemporary art, to show how football symbolism inspires creativity across artistic disciplines.
The Football Art Prize 2026 (first prize for £5,000) in Sheffield, London, coincides with the World Cup, bringing artworks of 60 UK and international artists inspired by football’s passion, drama, and social meaning.
Auto giant Hyundai, a longstanding FIFA partner, has unveiled the official national team bus designs, featuring winning artwork from its global youth initiative, ‘Be There With Hyundai.’
In India, sports collectibles platform LEGXI has announced its first international association with the Argentine Football Association, bringing officially licensed, exclusive hand-signed limited-edition collectibles: the Golden Ball, Golden Glove, Golden Stud and more. The collectibles will go live on LEGXI’s official website from June 11.
These exhibitions remind us that the World Cup is not just about goals and trophies, it is also about stories, memory, creativity, and the universal emotions that connect billions of people.