How much is the World Cup championship trophy worth?

According to the South China Morning Post, the trophy, which will be awarded to the winning team in the final scheduled in New Jersey (USA) next month, currently has a raw gold value that is about 157% higher than at the time of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This increase is mainly driven by the strong rise in gold prices on international markets in recent years.

Data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) shows that the gold content of the trophy is currently valued at about $713,000, a significant increase from around $277,000 four years ago.

Introduced in 1974, the World Cup trophy contains about 4.93 kg of pure gold, equivalent to nearly 174 ounces. When it was first crafted, the material value of the trophy was only about $25,000. After more than half a century, this figure has increased nearly 30 times.

Mr. Debajit Saha, senior analyst at LSEG's Metals Research division, believes that although the trophy is priceless to the players who have the chance to lift it, the value of the gold inside clearly reflects the upward trend of this precious metal in recent times.

According to Mr. Saha, gold continues to affirm its role as a safe-haven asset amid global uncertainties, as investors seek to preserve value against economic and geopolitical fluctuations.

The increase in the World Cup trophy's value also mirrors the upward trend of the global gold market. In recent years, gold prices have repeatedly set record highs as investors aggressively hoard the precious metal amid concerns over geopolitical tensions, inflation, and uncertain economic prospects.

Besides investor demand, large-scale gold purchases by central banks have also become an important driver supporting the market.

Although it has dropped from the peak of over $5,600 per ounce set earlier this year, the gold price still remains much higher than the historical average after several consecutive years of increases. Last year alone, gold rose by 64%, marking the strongest annual gain since 1979.

In the trading session on June 10, spot gold was recorded at around $4,180 per ounce.

According to Mr. Saha, in a way, the World Cup trophy – one of the most famous symbols in world sports – is also becoming a barometer reflecting the sentiment of the global economy.

He noted that although gold prices have cooled from recent highs, the long-term upward trend of this precious metal remains very remarkable.

“The FIFA World Cup trophy may be priceless to the players who lift it, but the gold inside is clear evidence of how much the value of this precious metal has increased over time,” he said.

One of the factors driving that trend is gold accumulation by central banks. For instance, the People's Bank of China (PBoC) extended its consecutive gold-buying streak to the 19th month in May.

The trend of increasing gold reserves is not limited to China. A recent report from the European Central Bank (ECB) shows that by the end of 2025, gold accounted for about 27% of total global official reserve assets, surpassing US Treasury bonds to become the world's largest reserve asset for the first time since the 1990s.

In this context, the growing appeal of gold is drawing attention just as the most prestigious trophy in world football once again takes center stage.

The 2026 World Cup – the first to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico – will open at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on June 11. The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (USA).