When a global sporting icon meets a homegrown music movement, the result is more than an event. Coca-cola’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour, paired with the debut of Coke Studio Bharat Live, turned January 2026 into a statement moment for fans across India.

The centrepiece of the initiative was the arrival of The FIFA World Cup Original Trophy in India after 12 years. Hosted in Delhi over two days on January 10 and 11, the showcase offered fans rare access to football’s most iconic prize while setting the stage for immersive cultural experiences around it.

A ceremonial kick-off in Delhi

Day one focused on the official arrival and unveiling of the trophy. The ceremony was led by former Brazilian World Cup winner and FIFA legend Gilberto Silva, alongside Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. Senior football administrators, including AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, were present, underlining the significance of the moment for Indian football.

For Silva, the visit was about inspiration as much as celebration. “We always heard that in India cricket is very popular, and I was very happy to discover that football is also so loved in India,” he said. “This trophy is to inspire so many young kids, inspire the next generation of players, women and boys, to become successful here in football as well.”

The closed-door unveiling set the tone, positioning the trophy not just as a symbol of victory, but as a catalyst for aspiration.

Fans step into the spotlight

Day two flipped the script entirely towards fans. The FIFA World Cup Trophy was opened for public viewing at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Okhla, drawing large crowds from Delhi and neighbouring regions. Entry was managed through QR-code-based access and guided movement, ensuring a smooth and immersive experience.

The venue itself felt less like an exhibition and more like a football festival. Freestyle football zones, interactive challenges and engagement-led installations kept fans involved beyond the trophy moment. Food zones and social spaces encouraged visitors to stay longer, turning the day into an all-round celebration of the sport.

The experience was amplified by appearances from actor Varun Sood, Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, former international Robin Singh and India women’s team defender Dalima Chhibber. Their on-ground interactions, photo moments and conversations helped bridge the gap between professional football and its growing fan base in India.

Coke Studio Bharat goes live

As the sun set, the energy shifted from football chants to live music with the launch of Coke Studio Bharat Live in Delhi. For the first time, Coke Studio Bharat moved from screens to a physical stage, bringing its digital-first music movement into a shared, live environment.

Performances by Shreya Ghoshal, Aditya Rikhari, Rashmeet Kaur, Divyam and Khwaab transformed the NSIC Grounds into a high-energy music arena. The set celebrated emotional storytelling, modern Indian sounds and the kind of collaborations Coke Studio Bharat is known for.

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One of the evening’s most talked-about moments came when Aditya Rikhari previewed an unreleased Coke Studio Bharat track live on stage, offering fans a first listen that only a live format could deliver. The concert peaked with a medley led by Shreya Ghoshal, who brought all the artists together on stage. A fan was invited to sing alongside her, turning the performance into a shared experience rather than a one-way show.

Gilberto Silva’s surprise appearance on stage with the FIFA World Cup Trophy during the concert created a visual crossover of sport and music, drawing loud cheers and sealing the night as a standout moment.

Guwahati takes the ball

From Delhi, the celebration moved to Guwahati on January 12. The original FIFA World Cup Trophy was showcased at the ACA Stadium, as Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the event as part of the state’s growing focus on large-scale sports and concert-led experiences.

The Guwahati edition of Coke Studio Bharat Live put the spotlight firmly on voices from the Northeast. Performances by Anuv Jain, Shankuraj Konwar, Rito Riba and Anoushka Maskey brought regional storytelling and contemporary sound together. A collective rendition of ‘Arz Kiya Hai’, followed by fan interactions and an intimate unplugged backstage session, reinforced the platform’s commitment to genuine fan connections.

Responsible celebrations at scale

Alongside the spectacle, Coca-Cola India integrated its #MaidaanSaaf initiative into Coke Studio Bharat Live. With trained volunteers, recycling stations and on-ground guidance, the initiative supported structured waste segregation, reinforcing that large public celebrations can also be responsibly managed.

The Delhi leg of the tour was delivered with support from event and experiential partners including Ojas Entertainment, Usually Unusual Entertainment, Redknot Marketing Solutions, MSIPL, REPRESENT Management and Pixadoo, covering production, logistics and fan engagement across both days.

A blueprint for culture-led engagement

By bringing together the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour and the first-ever Coke Studio Bharat Live, Coca-Cola showcased how global sports properties and local cultural platforms can co-exist within one high-energy, fan-first ecosystem.

Beyond fan excitement, the FIFA World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola and Coke Studio Bharat Live stood out as a strong signal for India’s event and experiential marketing industry. The programme demonstrated how global intellectual properties can be localised and executed across multiple cities, while maintaining consistency, security and audience experience.

Supported by a network of Indian event and experiential partners, the programmes also showcased the depth of local expertise across production, logistics, technology integration and fan engagement. For the industry, the tour offered a live case study in delivering global standards while anchoring experiences firmly in Indian culture and audience behaviour.