FIFA Museum

Sharing the magic of football with the world, the FIFA Museum had another landmark year, headlined by the celebration of women’s football, the opening of its first permanent exhibition abroad and a surge in visitor numbers to historic highs. A new record of more than 250,000 visitors in Zurich alone was achieved in 2023 – the highest number for the FIFA Museum’s location in the Swiss metropolis since its opening eight years ago. Another 350,000 visitors worldwide explored its digital exhibitions throughout the year. In total, more than six million football fans around the globe engaged with the FIFA Museum’s cultural and educational content physically and digitally during 2023.

Presented by Hyundai and showcased at the FIFA Fan Festival™ at Sydney/Gadigal’s Tumbalong Park, the FIFA Museum exhibition “Calling the Shots: Faces of Women’s Football” attracted more than 50,000 visitors within four weeks during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. It became the FIFA Museum’s fourth successful on-site exhibition at a major global showpiece after “The History Makers” in Moscow in 2018, “The Women’s Game” in Paris in 2019 and “Goals Create History” in Doha during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. In a groundbreaking move, the FIFA Museum expanded its fixed footprint beyond Zurich with the opening of its first permanent exhibition abroad. In collaboration with LEGENDS, a new FIFA Museum exhibition dedicated to the history of the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup was created in the Spanish capital of Madrid, with many fascinating match-worn and original objects on display.

In Zurich, a diverse exhibition programme kicked off in March with the guest exhibition “Paolo Rossi: Un Ragazzo d’Oro” in collaboration with the Paolo Rossi Foundation, offering an intimate portrayal of the life and illustrious career of the Italian football legend. Following “211 Cultures. One Game”, which ended in August 2023, the FIFA Museum opened its next special exhibition, “Designing the Beautiful Game”, in October 2023.

This in-depth examination of the relationship between football and design throughout history was developed in cooperation with London’s prestigious Design Museum, with the aim of providing visitors with a fresh and inspiring new perspective on the sport’s evolution. Also in Zurich, the museum hosted popular public viewings of all FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches. The FIFA Museum also embraced the digital realm with the launch of its first virtual reality (VR) experience in 2023. With state-of-the-art VR technology, the application transports visitors back to the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930 and the iconic voyage to the tournament in Uruguay aboard the Conte Verde. Furthermore, a digital exhibition layer for “Calling the Shots: Faces of Women’s Football” was introduced to celebrate pivotal figures and pioneers of the women’s game, tying in with the global extravaganza in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. These two innovative approaches exemplify the museum’s commitment to engaging audiences in new and immersive ways. “2023 was a very successful year for the FIFA Museum’s mission and responsibility to share the magic of football with the entire world. We shone the spotlight on milestones in women’s football, showcased 211 football cultures, featured design and football, furthered our global outreach and established technological innovation. The record-breaking visitor numbers in different corners of the world and the international resonance and growth achieved reflect our commitment to celebrating and safeguarding football’s truly global heritage and culture,” said FIFA Museum Managing Director Marco Fazzone.