Victory Travels in A Trunk

Before Spain lifted the World Cup trophy, it arrived on the pitch in a Louis Vuitton trunk. Since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Louis Vuitton and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) have built a close partnership. As part of that tradition, the House creates the bespoke trunk used to carry football’s most coveted trophy, the same trunk that was held by this year’s World Cup champions, Spain. This year, the trunk was brought onto the pitch and presented by Louis Vuitton ambassadors Carlos Alcaraz and Hoyeon, alongside FIFA legends Andrés Iniesta and Mario Kempes, part of Spain and Argentina’s victorious World Cup teams in 2010 and 1978, respectively. 

Putting the “V” in Victory

Handcrafted at Louis Vuitton’s historic workshop in Asnières-sur-Seine, the Monogram canvas case features two front panels painted with a golden ‘V’ for both ‘Victory’ and ‘Vuitton’. Inside, the case is lined in light beige leather and finished with a bespoke Louis Vuitton and FIFA partnership emblem inside the lid. The 2026 partnership extends beyond the trophy itself, with Louis Vuitton introducing three limited-edition trunks inspired by this year’s World Cup. The releases reinforce the Maison’s ambition to remain part of football’s defining cultural moments, continuing a legacy of craftsmanship that has accompanied some of the sport’s most significant occasions, as noted in part by Pietro Beccari, CEO and Chairman of Louis Vuitton.

The pivot towards sports entertainment comes at a financial juncture. According to the Robin report, “Louis Vuitton’s brand valuation dropped from 112 billion USD in 2025 to 87.5 billion USD in 2026”. One could argue that by investing in FIFA, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) is leveraging football’s global reach to convert viewership into long-term brand loyalty — particularly as it seeks to engage a younger demographic. The potential impact is vast, with the 2026 World Cup reaching five billion viewers globally, as noted by Inside FIFA.

2026 FIFA World Cup (left), 2024 Paris Olympics (Right)

FIFA is far from Louis Vuitton’s first venture into the world of sports. In 2024, Louis Vuitton famously sponsored the Paris 2024 Olympics as an official ‘Creative partner’, according to LVMH. As a brand rooted in Parisian heritage, Louis Vuitton marked the occasion on its own turf by crafting custom trunks to present and transport the coveted Olympic medals and torches. This same logic was carried into motorsport through Louis Vuitton’s partnership with Formula One in 2025, designing the trophy case, extending its aspirational reach to the global racing circuit.

This strategy has since shifted across the Atlantic from Paris to the United States, Mexico and Canada. Louis Vuitton is building a North American footprint by bridging its historic European craftsmanship with the growing frontier of American sports culture.

Read More: Why Have There Been Two World Cup Trophies?

Craftsmanship as Cultural Capital

While LVMH expands further into sport, the year also saw a parallel evolution in other fashion houses. In 2026, Kering announced Gucci’s partnership with the Alpine Formula One Team under the name “Gucci Racing” as part of a transformation strategy. This follows Gucci experiencing a challenging period and suffering a 22 percent decline in total revenue in 2025 at approximately 6.8 billion USD (EUR 5.99 billion), a near-half drop in total revenue from 2022 at 11.4 billion USD (EUR 10 billion). 

For both Maisons, these international sporting events provide more visibility than billboards and are signalers of unmatched craftsmanship. Louis Vuitton persists as the most famous trunk maker dating back 160 years in the world of luxury. Similarly, Gucci brings its own distinct heritage synonymous with elegant handbags and ready-to-wear apparel. Their deliberate choice to dress the Italian Alpine team is an assertion of Italian craftsmanship.

While Louis Vuitton’s partnership with FIFA is an ode to its values of dedication and ambition, the collaboration yields deeper strategic benefits. Through the partnership, the Maison tactfully strengthens its ties with the global sporting community, expanding their focus of “travelling with style” to audiences outside its traditional fashion consumer base. Ultimately, through collaboration with said sporting events, both Louis Vuitton and Gucci are provided with the platform and ability to highlight their unparalleled areas of expertise to the world. 

Where Luxury Meets Sport

Louis Vuitton’s continued expansion of its ambassador roster reflects an equally broader storytelling approach. Influential cultural figures such as Hollywood’s Zendaya, K-pop’s Lisa, and Football’s Jude Bellingham, among others, allow the house to position itself within different audiences and industries without altering its core identity. The same approach defines Louis Vuitton’s role in the World Cup with the trophy trunk, placing the house within a moment of cultural significance.

Since 2010, Louis Vuitton’s partnership with FIFA has grown into something larger than a partnership. In drawing a parallel between sporting ambition and its own, the house establishes itself as a presence bridging the gap between luxury and sport.

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