Permanent exhibition
Football. Fútbol. Fußball. Voetbal. Calcio. Jalkopallo. Kora. Soccer. The names vary, but the game’s the same. And it’s played everywhere. In every village and city in every country on every continent.
That’s why when you enter the exhibition of the FIFA Museum, you are greeted by giant video screens showing football from locations around the world. It is a fitting start to an exhibition that is dedicated to a game that continues to connect and inspire the world.
The free audio guide in eight languages brings stories to life and makes for an even more fascinating experience.
The Rainbow
The Rainbow is a 35-metre showcase of national-team shirts celebrating the global appeal of association football. All 211 member associations of FIFA are represented in The Rainbow.
Member associations and players are represented in the inner circle of The Rainbow through their national-team shirts. The member associations are not arranged alphabetically or according to their place in the world rankings, but according to the shirts' colour – like a rainbow.
The outer ring pays tribute to the fans – the lifeblood of the game. In every country, their passion is what makes football the most popular sport in the world.
The Timeline
The Timeline is 13 metres long, but it needs that length to trace the history of the game of association football from its origins in the British Isles to its pre-eminent position in the sporting world today. Using the dates on which the member associations joined FIFA, it illustrates the growing enthusiasm for association football throughout the world.
A key feature of The Timeline is the panel that charts the changes to the Laws of the Game. From the original 13 to the current 17, not a single sentence remains unaltered. The Timeline is also the story of new tournaments that have shaped the history of association football, such as the FA Cup in 1871-72 in club football or the Copa América for national teams in 1916. Naturally, the World Cups organised by FIFA, in all their variations, are also prominently represented.
The Foundations
The Foundations is the smallest room in the museum, yet one of the most significant. It tells the story of the creation of FIFA in 1904 and the vision of the founding fathers: for FIFA to develop and oversee international football. The aims of the founders are enshrined in the ten articles of the original statutes.
How those aims were put into practice is the focus of the six pillars that dominate the room. From humble beginnings in a small corner of Europe, the scope of FIFA’s work has expanded, and today its global reach and work can be explored in the giant interactive world map on the main wall.
One of the star exhibits at the FIFA Museum is the first minute book of The International Football Association Board (The IFAB). Dating from 1886, it is one of five that record the changes to the Laws of the Game at the annual meetings of The IFAB. The minutes of each meeting are signed by the delegates who attended.
The FIFA World Cup Gallery
The FIFA World Cup Gallery is the largest room at the museum and is dedicated to the two most important competitions run by FIFA – the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup. It is the beating heart of the museum.
The history is brought to life through displays dedicated to each tournament, showcasing extraordinary objects from football’s past: a shirt from the first finals in Uruguay, a tracksuit worn by Pelé at the 1958 finals, the kit worn and gold medal won by April Heinrichs, the first woman to lift the Women’s World Cup.
Pride of place goes to the two trophies themselves, both of which have a permanent home within the museum. The FIFA World Cup Trophy made its debut at the 1974 World Cup, after Brazil were allowed to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy after winning the title for a third time in 1970. The FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy dates from 1999, when it was introduced for the finals in the USA.
The Cinema
Before taking the lift to the first floor, an emotional highlight of any visit can be experienced at the Cinema. On the unique 180° screen, visitors can watch the two short films "The Final" and "The Path of Champions".
"The Final" is an original short film made up entirely of footage from finals of the FIFA World Cup. "The Path of Champions" follows the teams at every FIFA Women’s World Cup to discover who beat the odds to become world champions.
Outside the cinema is the Curva Nord. It is named after some of the world’s most famous stands. It contains seats from stadiums that have staged great World Cup moments, including London’s Wembley in 1966, Munich’s Olympiastadion in 1974, and Cape Town’s Green Point in 2010.
eFootball: The Virtual Pitch
eFootball is a compelling part of global football culture. The boundary between simulation and reality is becoming increasingly blurred and every day around the world, millions of living rooms are transformed into virtual pitches.
Technological developments are closing the gap between real life and the virtual world. Discover how the appearance of footballers in the game changed over time and let yourself be transported into the game to celebrate a goal with the stars. Take a deep dive into the fascinating world of eFootball in our immersive video installation.
With hundreds of millions of fans living out their passion for the beautiful game virtually, eFootball is here to stay. The exhibition presents how FIFA games and eFootball tournaments are part of the global phenomenon that is esports.
In the eFootball universe, gamers compete individually, as members of esports teams and in national teams. Get to know the different FIFA tournaments and champions and take a selfie with the biggest prize in eFootball: the FIFAe World Cup Trophy.
The Pinball
The finale of every visit to the FIFA Museum is the unique pinball.
In five disciplines, visitors can demonstrate their own talent with the ball. The multiball awaits at the end. With the right accuracy, it may even be enough for a place on the leaderboard.
Book your ticket for the FIFA Museum now
Here you can easily book your online ticket for the FIFA Museum - an absolute must-see in Zurich. Without having to queue at the ticket office, you can dive into international football and its exciting history and events. By the way: here you can also buy FIFA Museum vouchers.