Hyundai Becomes Official Automotive Partner of UEFA Champions League
News related to:Hyundai Motor Company · 3 min read
Hyundai Motor Company has secured a significant partnership with UEFA, becoming the Official Automotive Partner of the UEFA Champions League for the 2026/27 to 2030/31 seasons. This agreement marks a step forward in Hyundai's long-standing support for European football, a passion that has spanned nearly three decades.
"Football has been part of Hyundai for almost 30 years," said José Muñoz, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. "It brings people together like almost nothing else, across languages and borders and generations. The UEFA Champions League is the best club football in the world, played every week in front of the most passionate fans in Europe. Following our engagement at the World Cup this summer, the UEFA Champions League is an ideal platform to show our beautifully designed vehicles with features fans love."
The partnership aims to leverage Hyundai's global scale and European expertise in vehicle design and engineering. Hyundai will use the platform to highlight its future direction, including innovations in robotics, physical AI, and smart mobility solutions tailored for European customers. The company is launching its IONIQ 3, an all-electric vehicle designed in Europe for European customers, as the first model to represent the brand in the partnership.
"The UEFA Champions League and Hyundai are both driven by progress, performance, and the ambition to bring people together," said Xavier Martinet, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe. "We are entering this partnership with our strongest lineup yet. IONIQ 3 is the first of five new models we are launching in Europe this season, designed and developed for our customers here in the region, and it is the car that leads our lineup for the future."
IONIQ 3, which made its debut at Milan Design Week, is a compact hatchback with class-leading efficiency and range. With a drag coefficient of 0.263 Cd and up to 497 km of range (WLTP), the vehicle offers best-in-class interior space and a 14.6-inch display featuring Hyundai's latest PLEOS Connect infotainment system. The IONIQ 3 is designed to deliver on European customers' needs, with 441 liters of trunk volume and strong value.
The UEFA Champions League, the world's most-watched annual club football competition, is expected to provide a perfect platform for Hyundai to engage with a huge audience of passionate football fans. The 36-club tournament attracts around one in three people interested in the Champions League worldwide. This partnership aims to bring people together across cultures and communities throughout Europe, uniting millions of football fans while delivering a positive impact for society.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, Co-Managing Director of UC3 (UEFA's joint venture with European Football Clubs), expressed excitement about the partnership: "We are delighted to welcome Hyundai as an official partner of the UEFA Champions League. Hyundai has a proud history of supporting football at the highest level and a clear belief in its power to bring people together. We look forward to building a partnership that brings that shared ambition to life for fans around the world over the coming years."
The partnership between Hyundai and the UEFA Champions League reflects Hyundai's commitment to expanding opportunities and contributing towards a more inclusive future for society. Through this collaboration, the company aims to continue its journey of progress for humanity, using the UEFA Champions League as a platform to showcase its innovative and customer-centric approach to mobility.