When the winners of FIFA World Cup 2026 Sunday’s final at the New York-New Jersey Stadium lift the most coveted prize in sport, they will also be looking at the world’s most exclusive piece of luggage.
Designed by French luxury house Louis Vuitton as the Official Supplier and Branded Licensee for the 2026 tournament, the trophy, will arrive in a trunk, unveiled on July 17 (Friday), with symbol V crafted on it to symbolise the continuing a partnership that has spanned nearly two decades.
Nestled inside a newly designed, custom-made Louis Vuitton travel trunk, the arrival of the trophy on the ground in New York, will mark the fifth tournament in a row where FIFA and LV have continued to partner. It started with the South Africa 2010 edition and has since continued, marking its presence in Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022,
What Makes World Cup Trophy’s LV Case Special
Handcrafted in Louis Vuitton’s historic workshops in Asnières-sur-Seine, just outside Paris, the trunk is built by artisans using techniques dating back to the 1860s.
The 2026 design blends modern football prestige with classic luxury heritage:
| Element | Detail |
| Exterior | Covered in the brand’s Monogram canvas, with two front panels hand-painted with a golden “V”, representing both Victory and Vuitton |
| Hardware | Bound by the house’s signature leather trim, known as lozines, reinforced with gold-plated brass corner protectors, custom clasps and a central security lock |
| Interior | Lined with light-beige micro-suede leather, featuring an integrated, debossed leather patch bearing the official Louis Vuitton-FIFA partnership logo |
The 18-carat solid gold trophy itself weighs 6.175kg, with a malachite base.
What is the on-pitch protocol for handling the FIFA World Cup Trophy?
The trunk has become an integral part of the theatre of the World Cup final Sunday.
Following a protocol established in South Africa in 2010, the closed trunk will be hand-carried out of the tunnel and onto the pitch just minutes before kickoff, accompanied by a designated Louis Vuitton brand ambassador and a selected FIFA Legend.
On the centre-stage podium, the case will be unlocked and opened, revealing the gold trophy to a stadium of 80,000 fans and a global television audience running into the billions.
When either Lionel Messi or Rodri lifts the trophy on Sunday, they will be taking it straight out of the most luxurious packaging in sporting history. Messi’s Argentina, the defending champions, face Rodri’s Spain in Sunday’s final at New York-New Jersey Stadium, with Spain chasing a second World Cup title following their 2010 triumph and Argentina bidding to become the first side in 70 years to retain the trophy.
