- New campaign highlights Kia’s commitment to promoting unity and connection for people around the world
- Kia Official Match Ball Carrier program and inaugural Kia OMBC CupTM to bring together young players alongside the world’s best players
- Global World Cup ambassador Thierry Henry to be featured in three campaign teaser videos
- FIFA World Cup 2026™ Display Theme to be made available through Kia Connect Store
Kia Corporation today announced the launch of its global brand campaign for FIFA World Cup 2026TM under the banner ‘Inspiration connects us all.’
The new campaign highlights the brand’s commitment to promoting unity not only between Kia and its customers, but among people around the world during the iconic global sporting event.
The key components of the campaign include the Kia Official Match Ball Carrier (OMBC), Display Themes for Kia vehicles, and campaign videos that convey the broader message of connection through inspiration.
Chang Sung Ryu, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia’s Global Brand & Customer Experience Division, commented: “The FIFA World Cup™ is more than a sporting event, it is a cultural celebration that brings the world together. This campaign embodies Kia’s core message ‘Inspiration connects us all’ and aims to help fans around the globe enjoy their experience to the fullest, reflecting the company’s vision as a sustainable mobility solutions provider that enables connection and inspiration beyond the road.”
What is the Kia Official Match Ball Carrier program?
The Kia Official Match Ball Carrier sees children from countries around the world selected to deliver the official match ball to World Cup referees before each match. For the upcoming World Cup, a total of 104 participants aged between 10 and 14 will be given the chance to enter the field alongside the world’s best players.
The company is also expanding the OMBC program by hosting the first-ever Kia OMBC CupTM as part of its support for global youth football (soccer) initiatives. The OMBC participants will be given the opportunity to play in a youth football (soccer) tournament, selected through local try-outs. The event will feature participation from former football (soccer) legends, who will represent their countries, including global World Cup ambassador and football (soccer) icon Thierry Henry.
How does the OMBC program fit into the ‘Inspiration connects us all’ campaign?
The OMBC program is at the heart of Kia’s global campaign, unveiled today through three teaser videos featuring global ambassador Thierry Henry.
The first video unveils the concept of the ‘49th Team’ through Kia’s own draw event, symbolizing an additional team beyond the 48 official World Cup nations. The second video shows Henry in an interview, hinting that he will lead this symbolic team. The third video, entitled ‘The Next Legend’, features Henry driving an OMBC participant to the stadium in a Kia vehicle, reinforcing Kia’s message of inspiration and connection.
Together, these films celebrate the spirit of football and encourage young players to dream big, embodying Kia’s belief that inspiration connects us all.
What Kia Display Theme will be available in connection with FIFA World Cup 2026TM?
Kia’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ display themes are designed to connect fans through Kia vehicles, allowing them to share the thrill and emotion of the tournament even inside their cars. Kia’s Display Themes allow vehicle users to enjoy:
- Customized cluster and infotainment display colors and graphics
- Customized navigation and driving information
- Animations that appear during engine start-up and shut-down
The first theme released today, FIFA World Cup 2026™ Global Display Theme, celebrates the tournament while offering a unique experience exclusively for Kia owners passionate about football (soccer). The company plans to distribute a total of 17 themes leading up to the tournament’s opening next year, including host-country themes and Kia OMBC CupTM participating nations. Display themes will be available for free download on the Kia Connect store in the U.S., Korea, and European countries[i].
What is Kia’s affiliation with FIFA?
Kia has been an official partner of FIFA, the global football (soccer) governing body, since 2007. As its Official Mobility Partner, Kia will provide transportation, autonomous driving technologies, and future mobility services at FIFA’s global events and tournaments until 2030.
[i]Display Themes are only available on models that have the selected ccNC (Connected Car Navigation Cockpit) based infotainment system. An active Kia Connect subscription is required to utilize Display Themes. Without an active Kia Connect subscription, Display Themes will not be operational. The number of free downloads may vary by region. FIFA themes are available for download and use only until the end of July. Once downloaded, Display Themes are limited to use on the specific vehicle tied to purchase and cannot be transferred to other vehicles. Over-the-Air features and updates may require an additional cost and may vary by model, model year, and trim level. Features, specifications, and fees are subject to change. Kia Connect subscription is required and Kia Connect terms and conditions apply. For Europe, display themes are available only on selected ccNC vehicles and may not be supported on all ccNC models.
