Unforgettable scenes for Egyptian fans

The ancient pyramids of Giza formed a magnificent backdrop as European club football's most celebrated prize visited the Egyptian capital of Cairo for the third leg of the hugely popular UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, presented by Heineken.

Unmissable
Thousands of Egyptian football supporters were able to take in both the stunning view and a glimpse of the glory game on the European continent as the Tour's three-day stop in Egypt climaxed with a general event near the pyramids on Saturday 28 March.

Presentation
The Cairo leg – the third instalment of this spring's Trophy Tour of Africa after earlier visits to Nigeria and Algeria – began on Thursday with a press conference and media event, followed on Friday by a VIP night experience. That allowed expectation levels to rise for the main event on Saturday when the coveted silverware was presented by the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour Ambassador for Egypt, former national-team defender Hany Ramzy.

Son et lumière
The 40-year-old, who experienced Europe's élite competition first-hand with German club 1. FC Kaiserslatuern, unveiled the trophy amid a colourful ceremony of music, light and confetti at a venue set up in the desert beside the Giza pyramids. The 1,500 guests attending the main event queued to have their photo taken with the UEFA Champions League trophy – with 3,000 such portraits taken in total – and also enjoyed meeting the much-revered Ramzy.

Fan fest
Nor did the excitement end there. A variety of activities, including a table-football contest, a mini-pitch and a game zone, kept the local fans thoroughly entertained. In addition, memorabilia displays, as well as the Champions Gallery – a unique visual experience – combined to tell the star-studded story of the UEFA Champions League and its predecessor, the European Champion Clubs' Cup.

Ground-breaking
The Trophy Tour now moves to South Africa after breaking new ground, and making new friends, in Cairo. UEFA feels that touring the trophy outside Europe is an important part of sharing the magic of the UEFA Champions League with people on different continents, where local supporters can learn about UEFA's values and perhaps be encouraged to play the game themselves. Heineken is a long-standing UEFA partner, for whom the tour is an ideal promotional platform, further strengthening their relationship with the UEFA Champions League.

The remaining Trophy Tour to Africa dates:
10-12 April: Cape Town (South Africa)
17-19 April: Johannesburg (South Africa)