The 2026 World Cup will not only be the largest in history, but also a record holder for the price of the main trophy. Thanks to skyrocketing gold prices, the famous figurine now costs more than $700,000. This is a third more expensive than four years ago.
The current World Cup will be held in three countries at once – the USA, Canada and Mexico. For the first time, 48 teams will come to the tournament. For Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, this championship will most likely be the last in their careers. The competition is expected to break records in terms of viewing and fan attention.
But the main record is hidden inside the trophy itself. The cup is made of 18 carat gold. If translated to pure metal, it turns out almost five kilograms. According to the London Bullion Market Association, this is the most expensive among all the prestigious awards in the world. Neither the Nobel Prize nor the Golden Globe can compare with the football cup in terms of the amount of precious metal.
Gold is currently experiencing a historic rise. Its price is close to five thousand dollars per ounce. If the trophy were hypothetically melted, it would contain over $700,000 worth of pure gold. In 2022, this figure was a third less.
Leading banks, including JPMorgan, forecast further growth. In the summer, during the final stage of the championship, an ounce can already cost six thousand dollars. Then the cost of the cup will easily cross the million mark.
Of course, the winner doesn’t take the original home. An exception was made only for Brazil in 1970. Modern regulations require that champions be awarded a gilded bronze copy.
Interestingly, it was in the early 1970s that the price of gold began to float freely after the abolition of the Bretton Woods system. The dollar was no longer tied to the metal, and since then the precious metal has soared in price by 12,000%. Over the years, every ounce has turned into an asset that breaks records with enviable consistency.
In this sense, the World Cup is not just a symbol of football greatness. It is also a mirror of the global economy. Every gram of gold at its base, it grows in price along with the market, making the main trophy of sports not only more prestigious, but also literally more expensive with each tournament.
Source: MINING.COM
Image: MINING.COM
