The World Cup arrived in GTA this morning, as part of the final stage of a global tour covering 51 countries. The original World Cup trophy was unveiled during an 11 AM celebration at Pearson International Airport in Mississauga.

The 14.5-inch tall trophy, weighing just over 13 pounds, was also transported to BMO Field in Toronto early this afternoon for a sold-out "fan activation" event where, among other things, there will be a VIP reception followed by a chat with football icons.

Also attending the ceremony were Stephanie Labbé, former goalkeeper of the Canadian women's national team and current general manager of women's soccer for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, as well as former midfielder of the Canadian men's national team Dwayne De Rosario.

Last June, FIFA announced Toronto as one of the 16 host cities for the 2026 tournament.

The FIFA World Cup Tour, organized by Coca-Cola and featuring the trophy being brought to all 32 countries qualified for this year's tournament, will take place just weeks before the start of the World Cup finals in Qatar on November 20.