World’s most expensive sporting trophies revealed

Sport’s greatest trophies are symbols of achievement. The Jules Rimet trophy, the Claret Jug, the Stanley Cup, all iconic prizes rewarding sporting excellence. Forged in gold and silver, they are priceless to those that win them, but which is the most valuable sporting trophy in the world? 

 

To mark the start of the World Cup, we've ranked ten of the most coveted prizes in sport by their precious metal value, uncovering the stories, facts and figures behind each one. And to show just how dramatically precious metal prices have shifted, we've also calculated what each would have been worth back in 1966, 60 years ago, when England last lifted the World Cup.

 

 

*The actual metal weight and purity of the Fifa World Cup is disclosed and is estimated at £399,375 based on publicly stated gold weight (source: Wiki)

 

Methodology: Trophy rankings are based on theoretical precious‑metal value. For each trophy we recorded total weight and primary metal (gold or silver), then converted to troy ounces and multiplied by the prevailing spot price to estimate value, expressed in pounds sterling (GBP). A historical comparison was calculated using metal prices as of 1 June 1966. Where stated, insured or material values are noted separately. Importantly, these figures are based on total weight as such provide comparative estimates as to the theoretical value of the trophies.

 

1. Football: FIFA World Cup Trophy

• Next competition: June-July 2026
• First Awarded: 1974
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Argentina
• Appearance: Gold
• Made From: Gold
• Where's the Trophy Made?: Italy (Bertoni, Milan)
• Weight: 13.61 lbs / 6.18 kg
• Value in 1966: £2,498
• Value in 2026: £669,688 

The story:  The FIFA World Cup Trophy stands as one of sport's most valuable prizes. Commissioned in 1974, its instantly recognisable design is made of 18-carat gold (75% purity) topping a malachite base. While original production costs are estimated around £180,000 in today's money, the current material value sits at approximately £250,000 - £300,000. However, the trophy's true worth lies far beyond its precious metal content. History, prestige and one-of-a-kind status elevates expert valuations to £15-20 million. 

The trophy’s permanent home is the FIFA Museum in Zurich, emerging only every four years for the tours, draws and the on-pitch award. After each tournament, the original is swapped for a gold-plated bronze replica, dubbed the World Cup Winner's Trophy, which the winning country takes home. 

The malachite base bears the engraved names of every World Cup champion since 1974 – a living record that will eventually reach capacity. Experts estimate the base will run out of engraving space around 2038-2042, at which point FIFA is speculated to commission a successor trophy that will continue the legacy into the next century.

2. Horse Racing: Kentucky Derby Trophy

• Next competition: May 2027
• First Awarded: 1924
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Gold Tempo, bred by Philips Stable, jockeyed by José Ortiz and trained by Cherie DeVaux
• Appearance: Gold
• Made From: Gold
• Where's the Trophy Made?: USA
• Weight: 13.01 lbs / 5.90 kg 
• Value in 1966: £2,386
• Value in 2026: £639,864

The story:  The second most valuable trophy in our rankings is awarded to the winner of America's most watched and attended horse race, the Kentucky Derby. This solid gold trophy isn't all that's up for grabs – one single race sees the top five finishers split a $5 million prize, which is then further divided up between the owner, jockey, trainer and breeder.

The winning connections receive a set of trophies; the breeder, jockey and trainer take home a half size silver trophy, while the owner takes home the gold, made from a mix of 14-karat gold and green gold, topped with an 18-karat gold horse and rider figurine. A new trophy set is handcrafted each year for the following annual race — a process requiring approximately 2,000 hours of skilled labour.

3. Golf: Ryder Cup Trophy

• Next competition: September 2027
• First Awarded: 1927
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Team Europe
• Appearance: Gold
• Made From: Gold
• Where's the Trophy Made?: UK
• Weight: 3.99 lbs / 1.81 kg 
• Value in 1966: £734
• Value in 2026: £196,731

The story: The Ryder Cup Trophy is one of the most famous in golf. Standing at 17 inches tall and 9 inches wide, its heft in gold sees it sitting at third-place ranking for theoretical value. The cup is topped by a figurine which, contrary to popular belief, is not modelled on the race’s founder himself, Samuel Ryder, but on his mentor, friend, and British golfing professional, Abe Mitchell.

While a Ryder Cup replica is awarded every two years to the competition's winner, the original remains safely housed by the Professional Golfers' Association of Great Britain — and a third replica also circulates for touring purposes. Originally commissioned for a meagre £250 in 1927, the trophy's historical significance means its true value today far exceeds its material worth.

4. Motorsport (Indy 500): Borg‑Warner Trophy

• Next competition: May 2027
• First Awarded: 1936
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Felix Rosenqvist
• Appearance: Silver
• Made From: Sterling silver
• Where's the Trophy Made?: USA
• Weight: 110.00 lbs / 49.90 kg
• Value in 1966: £738
• Value in 2026: £89,400

The story: The Borg-Warner is arguably the most unique trophy in sport – it’s a continuously evolving monument to winners of the Indianapolis 500 automobile race. First unveiled in 1936, it stood at a towering 52 inches embellished with sculptures of the faces of every winner since 1911. They’ve since been joined by 80 more and the trophy has been upsized twice to allow the tradition to continue. 

While the Borg-Warner is by far the largest trophy on our list, the comparative value of silver against gold means it stands in fourth place for its theoretical material value. Race winners don't get to keep the original – besides, it would be quite the feat to lug home – but they do receive a miniature replica affectionately dubbed the "Baby Borg." 

5. Horse Racing: Cheltenham Gold Cup

• Next competition: October 2026
• First Awarded: 1924
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Gaelic Warrior, owner Mrs S Ricci, jockeyed by Paul Townend
• Appearance: Gold
• Made From: Gold
• Where's the Trophy Made?: UK
• Weight: 1.42 lbs / 0.64 kg 
• Value in 1966: £260
• Value in 2026: £69,843

The story: Until very recently, the Cheltenham Gold Cup spent more than four decades hidden away. Before it was returned to the racecourse in 2018, the original trophy, first awarded in 1924, had been locked in a bank vault since the early 1970s, untouched by winners' hands. Its return marked a remarkable moment in the race's history.

Upon its homecoming, the trophy was mounted on a plinth engraved with the names of every race winner since its inception. Made of 644 grams of 9-carat gold and plated in 18-carat gold for a deeper lustre, it now serves as the perpetual award. Race winners receive a replica to keep, while the original remains at Cheltenham, preserving nearly a century of National Hunt history.

6. Football: Premier League Trophy

• Next competition: August 2026 - May 2027
• First Awarded: 1993
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Arsenal 
• Appearance: Silver
• Made From: Silver
• Where's the Trophy Made?: UK
• Weight: 56.00 lbs / 25.40 kg 
• Value in 1966: £376
• Value in 2026: £45,511

The story: The Premier League Trophy is built around a theme of English football's Three Lions. Two gold lions sit above the handles, with the lifting captain symbolically becoming the third. Its body is solid sterling silver with a 24-carat silver gilt crown, set on a malachite base engraved with every title winner. Despite its iconic status, its theoretical material value is a relatively modest £45,796 — though analysts estimate its actual value at over 2.2-3.7 million pounds. 

Champions must return the trophy three weeks before the next season's final match, and there are two identical versions; one held by the current champions, one by the league. There is one famous exception: Arsenal were gifted a unique solid gold version to mark their unbeaten Invincibles season of 2003-04, an honour that has never been repeated. 

7. Soccer (US): MLS Cup (Anschutz Trophy)

• Next competition: February 2027 - November 2028
• First Awarded: 2008
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Inter Miami CF
• Appearance: Silver
• Made From: Sterling silver
• Where's the Trophy Made?: USA
• Weight: 44.09 lbs / 20.00 kg
• Value in 1966: £296
• Value in 2026: £35,835

The story: The Philip F. Anschutz Trophy is one of the newest on our list, awarded to MLS Cup winners since 2008. It replaced the previous Rothenberg Trophy and was named in honour of the league's co-founder and early financial backer.

Crafted from sterling silver by Tiffany & Co., this trophy stands 24 inches tall and weighs 43 pounds, with each of its two handles featuring 11 facets to represent the 22 players on the field. The original trophy resides at MLS headquarters in New York, with the champions receiving a duplicate to keep.

8. Ice Hockey: Stanley Cup

• Next competition: April-June 2026
• First Awarded: 1893
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Florida Panthers
• Appearance: Silver
• Made From: Silver‑nickel alloy
• Where's the Trophy Made?: England (originally)
• Weight: 34.17 lbs / 15.50 kg
• Value in 1966: £229
• Value in 2026: £27,772

The story: The Stanley Cup is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, first donated in 1892 by Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor General of Canada, for a cost of approximately 10 guineas (around £8 at the time). Made from silver and nickel alloy, it stands 35.25 inches tall and weighs 34.5 pounds, and is valued today at around half a million pounds. The Cup evolves with its history: the names of every winning team is engraved on its silver bands, and once a band is full, the oldest is removed and preserved at the Hockey Hall of Fame while a new one is added at the bottom.

There are in fact three Stanley Cups in existence; the original bowl, the Presentation Cup awarded each year, and a replica used for display when the Presentation Cup is elsewhere. The winning team takes the trophy for a day each during the off-season, a tradition that has seen the Cup eaten from, swum with, and taken to some of the world's more unlikely locations.

9. Football: UEFA Europa League Trophy

• Next competition: September 2026 - July 2027
• First Awarded: 1972
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Aston Villa
• Appearance: Silver
• Made From: Sterling silver
• Where's the Trophy Made?: Italy (Bertoni, Milan)
• Weight: 33.07 lbs / 15.00 kg
• Value in 1966: £222
• Value in 2026: £26,876

The story: The UEFA Europa League Trophy is the heaviest piece of silverware in European football, weighing 15kg despite having no handles. Designed and crafted by the Bertoni workshop in Milan and standing 65cm tall on a yellow marble plinth, it features a group of sculpted players appearing to jostle for the ball, when in fact they are supporting the octagonal silver cup above.

The original trophy remains permanently in UEFA's keeping, with a full-sized replica awarded to each year's winners. While the true value of the trophy remains unknown, it goes down in history as one of the top ten most expensive trophies based on its theoretical silver value. 

10. Sailing: America's Cup (Auld Mug)

• Next competition: July 2027
• First Awarded: 1851
• Current Winner (At time of campaign): Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
• Appearance: Silver
• Made From: Sterling silver
• Where's the Trophy Made?: UK (Garrard, London)
• Weight: 32.41 lbs / 14.70 kg
• Value in 1966: £217
• Value in 2026: £26,339

The story: The Auld Mug holds a distinction no other trophy on this list can claim: it is the oldest trophy in international sport, first awarded in the The America’s Cup sailing competition in 1851. This cup is so revered that it is never touched by bare hands – and travels everywhere with two security guards and its own seat in business or first class, housed in a bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk.

It has survived some remarkable near-misses: In 1852, the original winning syndicate nearly melted it down for commemorative medals, and in 1997 a Māori activist struck it with a sledgehammer in Auckland. It was repaired by Garrard's of London and continues to be the most coveted — and most fiercely defended — prize in sailing.

Frequently asked questions about the world’s most valuable sporting trophies

 

Sources:

 

FIFA World Cup (Italy) — https://surprisesports.com/football/fifa-world-cup/fifa-world-cup-troph… · https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/04/8-most-expensive-football-trophies-…
https://graveshamtrophycentre.co.uk/pages/football-world-cup-trophies?s…

https://www.beinsports.com/en-us/soccer/fifa-world-cup-2026/articles/ho…

 

Kentucky Derby (USA) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Derby_Trophy · https://www.rimonthly.com/derby-trophy-made-rhode-island/ · https://www.edco.com/kentucky-derby-trophy

https://www.gotolouisville.com/events-calendar/annual-events/kentucky-d….

 

The Ryder Cup (England) — https://thegolfnewsnet.com/ryan_ballengee/2025/09/22/ryder-cup-trophy-f…

https://www.golfcompendium.com/2025/09/ryder-cup-trophy.html

https://www.rydercup.com/news-media/five-things-to-know-about-the-ryder…

 

Borg-Warner (USA) — https://supercarblondie.com/the-sterling-silver-indy-500-trophy-heavier… · https://technosports.co.in/top-10-most-expensive-trophy-in-the-world/
https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/where-tradition-never…

 

Cheltenham Gold Cup (England) — https://www.rte.ie/sport/racing/2018/0928/998712-original-gold-cup-trop…

https://www.nhrm.co.uk/the-history-of-the-cheltenham-gold-cup/

https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/about/history/

 

Premier League (England) — https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/1214010 · https://www.goal.com/en/news/premier-league-trophy-winners-who-designed…

https://www.goal.com/en/news/do-football-clubs-keep-trophies/529vyt1h7w…

 

MLS Cup (Anschutz) (USA) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_F._Anschutz_Trophy · https://www.columbuscrew.com/news/mls-cup-trophy-facts  https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/whats-cup-get-know-philip-f-anschutz-tro…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLS_Cup

 

Stanley Cup (England/Canada) — https://technosports.co.in/top-10-most-expensive-trophy-in-the-world/ · https://blog.providentmetals.com/melt-values-of-professional-sports-tro…

UEFA Europa League (Italy) — https://www.nss-sports.com/en/lifestyle/29981/how-much-do-the-european-…;

America's Cup / Auld Mug (England) — https://www.gotobermuda.com/plan/inspiration/article/americas-cup-histo… · https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America's_Cup