According to the correspondent, a small line of those wishing to see the trophy first, gathered at the entrance to the big inflatable marquee at around 12 p.m. local time (9 a.m. GMT). The trophy is placed in the wall behind glass inside the marquee.

Self-photographing of the 18 carat gold prize is prohibited but a special camera makes a photo of every visitor with the trophy that can be printed outside the marquee. The iconic prize will stay in St. Petersburg till Saturday, before heading for the last stop on its tour in Moscow.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour kicked off in the Russian capital in September. The trophy visited 16 Russian cities before the international part of the tour began in London in January.

After returning to Russia, the trophy visited seven cities before arriving in St. Petersburg. After returning to Moscow, it will have completed the longest tour in FIFA's history, having covered more than 16,500 miles in 123 days.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy is a composition of two human figures holding the globe in their raised hands. In accordance with the FIFA rules, only the winners of the tournament and heads of states can touch the award.

Russia will host its first World Cup from June 14 to July 15. The fixtures will be played at 12 stadiums across 11 cities.