For the first time ever, soccer fans have the chance to get up close to the FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy, now in Edmonton on a cross-Canada tour.

"It's a really incredible experience to be so close to something so prestigious," said city councillor Andrew Knack at the grand unveiling of the trophy in Edmonton at West Edmonton Mall on Saturday, who was wearing special team Canada socks in honour of the event.

The trophy will be on display in the Ice Palace at West Edmonton Mall until Monday on its tenth stop of a 12 city FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy Tour in advance of the tournament kickoff at Commonwealth Stadium on June 6.

Before this tour, the only people who got to see the trophy were the winning players on the last game of the tournament.

"Not many people get an opportunity to see it, only the players who win it," said Sarah Gandoin, FIFA marketing alliances manager. "Even the other players, they dream of seeing the trophy but they never manage to do it."

Tim Uppal, conservative member of parliament for Edmonton-Sherwood Park, said the federal government is proud to host the FIFA Women's World Cup Tournament, and has pledged up to $15 million to host the games.

"We know the power of sport, how it can capture the imagination of the entire nation, inspiring all of us, particularly our children... to dream big, to work hard and make those dreams come true," Uppal said, who brought his own soccer-playing daughter to see the trophy up close.

Grandoin said the trophy tour is to help drum up enthusiasm ahead of the tournament.

"We need the fans to get really into it and to decide to come to the tournament and cheer for their team, cheer for Canada and be there in the stadium," she said.

Knack, a self-described avid soccer fan, says he remembers watching a previous FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup event in Commonwealth Stadium where the stadium was filled with cheering fans, a sight he hopes to see again as Edmonton has been awarded the most matches of any city in the tournament do in large part to the supportive fans.

"Hopefully everyone takes the opportunity to come out to commonwealth and be a part of that because there is nothing quite like being in a stadium full like commonwealth cheering on team Canada," Knack said.

For more information, including a tournament schedule and tickets, go to fifa.com/womensworldcup

@ClaireTheobald

claire.theobald@sunmedia.ca