Switzerland is home to the headquarters for two of the biggest sporting organisations in the world – the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa).
Both support their own museums, which provide Lausanne and Zurich with two of the most incredible sports attractions anywhere in the world.
Sports Tourism Media’s co-editor Ramy James Salameh visited the Fifa World Football Museum in Zurich and picks out the best things to see.
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Up for the cup
Without doubt a spine-tingling moment is getting up close and personal with the Fifa World Cup trophy, which is a global “celebrity” in its own right.
Introduced in 1974, the Fifa World Cup trophy is made of 18 carat gold with bands of malachite on its base, it stands at 36.8cm high and weighs 6.1kgs. It is a true centrepiece of the museum.
During my visit the Fifa Women’s World Cup trophy was in the hands of the USA team having been victorious at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.
‘Thank you’
There are many emotive exhibits from the 1,000+ artefacts on show commemorating and celebrating the rich heritage of football and its global appeal. However, one exhibit caught my attention as it was a message penned on the back of an envelope, which simply reads “Thank You” in Russian.
During the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia, the Japanese squad had just been knocked out of the tournament by Belgium, yet they left their dressing room spotlessly clean and this poignant note.
No wonder this simple exhibit with a powerful message of sportsmanship made its way into the museum!
Connect and inspire
Known as “The Rainbow”, a horseshoe-shaped glass cabinet features football shirts representing all 211 Member Associations. It is one of the first incredible sites to greet visitors at the start of their tour. This is a visible means to show the game’s unique ability to, as Fifa propagates, “connect and inspire” people from around the world.
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Immerse yourself in the beautiful game
Fifa’s museum features an excellent multimedia and interactive section which has an educational and entertainment spin to it. As with most modern sports museums it is all about immersing yourself and getting absorbed in the narrative.
The museum creates this platform so well by expressing the true excitement and love for the “beautiful game”. So delve into the gaming area through a giant football pinball, various sonic pods or get transported to the greatest moments from many World Cups via the 180-degree cinema screen.
World Cup memories
Fans make football the great game that it is. The museum’s “memory jars” are all about preserving unique pieces of history collected by supporters.
I want to share my own Fifa World Cup story from the 2002 tournament with the museum. Having partied with the Republic of Ireland squad in Seoul ahead of their crunch match with Spain, I was handed Shay Given’s baseball cap by Jason McAteer and I featured in the 2002 World Cup souvenir edition of Four Four Two magazine. I hope one day this ends up in one of the museum’s memory jars!
Fifa World Football Museum
- Where: Seestrasse 27, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland
- Website: fifamuseum.com
Opening hours
- Tuesday to Sunday: 10am to 6pm
- Monday: Closed (the museum will open on selected public holidays)
Ticket prices
- Adults: 24 Swiss Francs (CHF); equivalent to £20.31
- Children 0-6: free entry
- Children aged 7-15: CHF 14
- Seniors: CHF 19
- Disabled: CHF 14
- Students/Apprentices (with ID): CHF 18
- Family (two adults and two children aged 7-15): CHF 64
- Free entry with Museumspass and Swiss Travel Pass. Show your card at the ticketing desk