The journey to the 2010 World Cup has been marked by many significant events, including the bid campaign, the bid decision, the 2010 Preliminary Draw and the World Cup qualification process which is now drawing to a close.

This week saw another important event — the launch of the World Cup Trophy Tour. Ever since Brazil took permanent possession of the Jules Rimet Trophy after winning the World Cup for the third time in 1970, the Silvio Gazzaniga-designed trophy has been sport’s most coveted symbol.

The 36.5cm high, 5 kg solid gold trophy has been removed from a vault in Zurich and is now being transported to Cairo. From there it will embark on a 225-day journey, allowing millions of people to get up close to the over-riding symbol of the quadrennial showpiece of international soccer.

In an unprecedented event, the trophy which depicts two human figures holding up the Earth, will travel 134 017 kilometres and visit 86 countries, including every nation in Africa. At events in each city, fans will have the opportunity to have a souvenir photo taken of themselves with the trophy and view a special 3-D movie showcasing memorable moments of the FIFA World Cup.

"Through this event, we are really engaging football fans on a global scale," said FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

This edition of the tour is far greater than the first one which featured 29 countries ahead of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

South Africa, of course, is the final destination and, on May 4, 2010, just over a month before the tournament kicks off, the trophy will arrive on these shores. And when it is raised by the winning captain at Soccer City on July 11, 2010, it will mark the end of a journey that began in earnest in Zurich on May 15, 2004 when Nelson Mandela was presented with the trophy after South Africa had won the bid to host the tournament.

  • Email Craig at sports@metropolis.co.za with all your comments.

  • 'Inside 2010' will appear weekly on iafrica.com, so log on next week for more inside info ahead of SA's biggest tournament to date.

  • Urquhart is a former FIFA World Cup Media Officer and the current editor of Project2010.
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