FIFA World Cup trophy began a two-day show in Ecuador on Friday, amid strict security measures, local media reported.

The trophy, a world-wide sporting icon, arrived Thursday night in Ecuador, part of a world tour than began on Jan. 4 in Ghana, and will visit the 28 countries that qualified for the Cup competition, before concluding in Germany, the host nation, in April.

In Ecuador, which qualified for the Cup for the second time, only 20,000 people will enjoy the rare privilege of seeing the World Cup.

One important security measure was that the timetable for the World Cup's arrival in Quito was not disclosed ahead of time.

Alfredo Palacio, Ecuadorian president, and a few government officials were the first to see the Cup when they welcomed the FIFA delegation headed by Thomas Von Ubrizsy at the Quito Swissotel.

After welcoming the delegation, Paco Moncayo, mayor of Quito, called for Ecuadorians to be confident that their national team would have an outstanding performance, adding that it was possible that the trophy could return to Ecuador.

The Cup will go on show at the Quito Exhibition Center from 9.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It will leave the country on Sunday.

The Cup is a 36 cm statuette made by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga weighing 6.175 kilos, made of 18 karat gold.

Source: Xinhua