World Cup Memories Take Center Stage At New York Exhibit

BusinessSportsMoneyWorld Cup Memories Take Center Stage At New York ExhibitByClemente Lisi,Contributor.Follow AuthorJun 08, 2026, 05:05pm EDTThe Jules Rimet World Cup trophy. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe FIFA Museum is bringing a special exhibition on soccer history to New York's Rockefeller Center during the World Cup.The free exhibit – dubbed “Legacies of Champions” – will allow fans to go back in time and experience the tournament’s 96-year history. The free exhibit will be open throughout the tournament, including original artifacts, trophies and jerseys representing all 48 nations competing at this summer’s World Cup. Featuring showcases from every World Cup since 1930, the exhibition, sponsored by Hyundai Motor Group, also has immersive experiences such as “The Final,” a video installation capturing the drama of soccer’s biggest game and “The Wall of Champions,” which honors every player to have ever won the trophy. “This exhibition tells the history of the game, but it also reminds us of the emotions we experience throughout our lives,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said during Monday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I am sure this place will be filled with fans from all over the world from now until the end of the World Cup. They will come to immerse themselves in emotions, feelings, heartbeats, and ultimately in what we seek to achieve through the World Cup: Uniting the world.” The exhibit, which runs from June 11 to July 19, also features the Jules Rimet trophy, the original prize awarded to World Cup champions from 1930 to 1970, won that year by Brazil. In 1983, the trophy was stolen from the Brazilian Football Confederation’s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. It was never recovered. It is widely believed that the trophy was melted down. “If someone has the original trophy, please bring it over,” Infantino joked. The launch event featured a panel discussion highlighted by the presence of former Italy stars Roberto Baggio, Christian Vi...