LEGO Group and FIFA Announce Global Collaboration Ahead of 2026 World Cup.

Roger Hampel

Image: FIFA

The LEGO Group and FIFA have announced a new global collaboration in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026™, introducing the first officially licensed 1:1 scale LEGO model of the FIFA World Cup Trophy. The partnership combines one of the world’s most recognisable consumer brands with football’s most commercially valuable international property, signalling another expansion of FIFA’s retail and fan-engagement ecosystem ahead of the tournament.

The LEGO Editions FIFA World Cup Official Trophy is now available for pre-order and will go on general sale in March 2026.

A Commercial Collaboration Positioned Ahead of the 2026 World Cup

The timing aligns with FIFA’s broader commercial build-up to what is expected to be the most attended and most commercially lucrative World Cup in history. With 42 qualified nations and 22 play-off contenders preparing for the final draw in Washington, D.C., FIFA continues to scale its consumer-product portfolio as part of a multi-platform revenue strategy.

While FIFA has previously collaborated with global brands across apparel, gaming and collectibles, this marks the organisation’s first partnership with LEGO on an official, large-scale licensed model.

A 1:1 Trophy Model Designed for Collectability LEGO FIFA

The LEGO trophy model features:

• 2,842 LEGO elements, including the highest number of gold-coloured bricks used in a single LEGO set;

• a printed base plaque listing all teams that have lifted the current version of the trophy (introduced in 1974);

• an internal hidden scene, accessed through the upper globe section, containing the FIFA World Cup 2026 logo and an exclusive minifigure holding a miniature trophy.

The product fits within FIFA’s merchandise strategy for 2026, which includes higher-value premium collectibles and globally accessible fan products.

Strategic Significance: Retail, Licensing and Global Visibility

For FIFA, the collaboration:

• extends the World Cup brand into a new product category;

• supports pre-tournament commercial momentum;

• strengthens global retail presence through LEGO’s distribution ecosystem;

• leverages a family-oriented, mass-market platform to broaden the tournament’s reach.

For LEGO, the partnership expands its “LEGO Editions” portfolio into sports IP, aligning the brand with the world’s most recognised trophy and tapping into football’s global consumer base ahead of an event hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The collaboration also supports ongoing efforts to diversify LEGO’s audience across adult collectors, with sports-related premium sets gaining traction in recent years.

Public Messaging Highlights Creativity and Fan Participation

Statements from FIFA executives emphasised “synergy” between football and creative play, while LEGO highlighted the opportunity to engage families and collectors around a universally recognised sports symbol.Beyond messaging, the collaboration is a clear example of FIFA increasing its reliance on merchandising partnerships to grow event-related revenue.

Brazil legend Roberto Carlos, involved in the promotional rollout, framed the set’s emotional value for fans — a common angle used in collectible marketing tied to iconic tournament moments.