FIFA Museum to unveil special exhibition “211 Cultures. One Game” in Zurich ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022™

The FIFA Museum is delighted to announce “211 Cultures. One Game”, a special exhibition that will open to the public in Zurich on 11 November 2022. In the run-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022™, this major exhibition will shine a light on each of FIFA’s 211 member associations and the unique football culture behind each one, highlighting how the beautiful game is experienced around the world. The exhibition will explore how the magic of football brings people together, from the rituals and traditions of fans to the impact of iconic players and memorable moments that continue to resonate today. As visitors enter the exhibition, they will encounter a remarkable display of 211 objects, each telling a story from one of the member associations. This is the FIFA Museum’s first collaborative exhibition, with many of the objects having been shared directly by the associations themselves, and others having been collected through personal exchanges with fans around the globe.

The objects relate to both the men’s and women’s games and range from jerseys to tickets, to photos and archive material, to notable items such as the original trophies from the Marianas Cup, an annual competition between Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in the North Pacific Ocean, first played in 2007. The trophies were awarded to the inaugural winners of the men’s and women’s tournaments and are crafted from ifit wood, which comes from Guam’s national tree, and carved into the shape of a latte stone – columns found across the Mariana Islands, built by the ancient Chamorro people. Other such items include the vinyl record for “Our Camel is a Winner”, a song about Kuwait’s mascot during their participation at the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain™ and the Aya Huma mask, which has become popular in Ecuador’s football fan culture. FIFA Museum Managing Director Marco Fazzone: “We cannot wait to open the doors to ‘211 Cultures. One Game’. As the home for global football history, heritage and culture, it is part of our mission to represent all of FIFA’s 211 member associations. Each of the associations has its own distinct football culture revolving around the magic on the pitch and the shared histories and experiences that bond fans together. We are incredibly grateful to the member associations for this wonderful collaboration, and this is a very special exhibition for us, as it is not just for fans but also about fans all around the world.”

Moritz Ansorge, FIFA Museum Director of Exhibitions [&] Heritage: “The unveiling of our ‘211’ exhibition is an important milestone for us. It will be the first to take place in our newly transformed dedicated space on the first floor, which will allow us to offer temporary and guest exhibitions as well as other museum experiences.” As visitors explore the exhibition, they will be able to enjoy a new immersive experience, taking them on a visual journey in and around a football stadium, focusing on the atmosphere and the intense highs and lows experienced by fans during a match. With eye-catching visuals and a bespoke soundtrack, the installation will be staged in a mirrored room, creating a kaleidoscopic infinity effect that immerses visitors in the centre of a passionate crowd. The exhibition will also feature fun and interactive activities, including a globe that invites visitors to compete in a quiz, with one question for each of the 211 member associations. As visitors face off against one another, they will challenge and expand their knowledge of global football culture.