PARIS: Hyundai Motor Company has announced a multi-year agreement as the Official Automotive Partner of the UEFA Champions League.
The partnership marks the company’s commitment to European club football at its highest level.
It begins with the 2026/27 season, running to the end of the 2030/31 season.
“Football has been part of Hyundai for almost 30 years. It brings people together like almost nothing else, across languages and borders and generations,” said Hyundai Motor Company president and CEO José Muñoz.
“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 Hyundai’s 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."
"I am from Madrid, so I have watched this competition my whole life. I'm personally excited about engaging with fans across Europe. It's a great time to celebrate the beautiful game with Hyundai."
Under its brand vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’, Hyundai is committed to expanding opportunities and contributing towards and more inclusive future for society.
Through this partnership with UC3, UEFA’s joint venture with European Football Clubs, engagement with the UEFA Champions League and Hyundai’s mobility offerings, the company aims to bring people together across cultures and communities throughout Europe, uniting millions of football fans while delivering a positive impact for society.
“The UEFA Champions League and Hyundai are both driven by progress, performance, and the ambition to bring people together," said Hyundai Motor Europe president and CEO Xavier Martinet.
"We are entering this partnership with our strongest line-up 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: Hyundai’s entry on the pitch
The all-electric Ioniq 3, designed in Europe for European customers, is Hyundai’s opening statement in the partnership.
The compact hatchback made its debut at Milan Design Week earlier this year and became the first battery-electric vehicle to enter production at Hyundai’s İzmit plant when manufacturing commenced in August.
It is the first of five major new models Hyundai brings to Europe in the 2026/27 season.
With the Ioniq 3, Hyundai enters the compact class, Europe’s most contested segment, with class-leading capability to deliver on European customers’ needs.
The Ioniq 3’s Aero Hatch typology has been created to deliver class-leading efficiency and range, with a drag coefficient of 0.263 Cd and up to 497km of range (WLTP).
The Ioniq 3 offers 441 litres of trunk volume, best-in-class interior space, and a segment-leading 14.6-inch display featuring Hyundai’s latest PLEOS Connect infotainment system.
UC3 co-managing director Guy-Laurent Epstein said, "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."
