World Cup in Almaty: young footballers see the legendary trophy with their own eyes

The original trophy was displayed at the Palace of the Republic for only a few hours as part of the global tour organized ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The tour is organized by Coca-Cola, FIFA’s long-standing partner.

Seeing the legendary trophy in person is a dream for every football fan, and this experience is especially valuable for children. That is why representatives of the Freedom QJ League, together with the event organizers, arranged a special activity for young players of Almaty’s Kairat, giving them the chance to take photos with the World Cup. Children from the KFF Academy were also given this opportunity.

It is worth noting that the special guest of the event was Marco Materazzi, a 2006 World Cup winner with the Italian national team. The children had the chance to warmly interact with the legendary Inter Milan defender and receive his autograph as a keepsake.

“The impressions are very positive. Of course, such events should be held to promote football in our country. This is especially important for children, particularly the younger ones. It gives them energy and motivation to continue playing sports. I would like to thank the League for the invitation,” said Konstantin Istomin, coach of the Kairat Academy.

“Materazzi signed an autograph for me, and I took a photo with him. He is one of the best players in the world, a winner of Serie A and the Champions League. Thank you to QJ League for inviting me. In the future, I also want to become a world champion and help bring Kazakhstan forward,” shared young Kairat academy player Ramiz Baimukhanov.

“As a FIFA partner, Coca-Cola has the exclusive right to conduct the World Cup Trophy Tour ahead of each World Cup. This is already the sixth such tour that we have organized.

Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan, and the weather conditions here allowed us to avoid potential risks when organizing the event.

I believe this exhibition will definitely inspire children to achieve future victories. Marco Materazzi shared today that when he was a child, he dreamed of winning the World Cup – and in 2006, he achieved that dream. So absolutely anyone’s dream can come true.

We thank Freedom QJ League for inviting the teams to our event. I believe the children enjoyed it greatly and were truly inspired,” said Alexandra Akkirman, Director of Government Relations and Communications for Coca-Cola in Central Asia and the Caucasus.