The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has unveiled a new chapter in Southeast Asia’s football history, officially renaming its premier men’s national team tournament as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™, following a groundbreaking partnership with Hyundai Motor, a global leader in smart mobility solutions.
This exciting collaboration elevates the tournament’s prestige and reaffirms Hyundai’s commitment to fostering football excellence across the region.
Additionally, under an agreement facilitated by SPORTFIVE, AFF’s exclusive commercial partner, Hyundai assumes the role of Presenting Partner for three other marquee ASEAN football tournaments—the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™, the ASEAN Women’s MSIG Cup™, and the ASEAN U-23 Championship™. Together with the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™, these competitions will now be collectively known under the unified banner of ASEAN United FC, further strengthening regional football and inspiring athletes at every level.
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor operates in over 200 countries and is dedicated to tackling global mobility challenges while transforming into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider through investments in robotics, Advance Air Mobility, and zero-emission technologies including hydrogen fuel cells and EV innovations. As a part of this forward-looking vision, football sponsorship has been a core element of Hyundai’s brand and sports marketing strategy, beginning in 1999 with its partnership with FIFA and expanding by becoming the official sponsor for CONMEBOL Libertadores in Latin America.
Hyundai Cup™ is the South Korean mobility provider’s first partnership with ASEAN football as it strategically targets Southeast Asia for growth – increasing its presence in the region’s key markets and strengthening its connection with the passionate ASEAN football community. The 2024 edition of ASEAN’s flagship event once again smashed records with an audience of 541.5 million and cumulative views of 12.66 billion on social media channels.
Mr. Sunny Kim, President, Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific said: “Football is more than a sport for Hyundai, it’s a platform that unites and empowers communities. With over 26 years of global partnerships, we see ASEAN as a region where football’s spirit thrives. This sponsorship aligns with our vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’ by supporting education, inclusion, and sustainable growth.
As the regional arm supporting Hyundai’s growth across Southeast Asia, Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific is proud to introduce ‘Move the Game’ through this sponsorship, reflecting our commitment to empowering everyday changemakers and shaping the future of mobility. Beyond automotive innovation, we strive to create social impact through initiatives such as the “Hyundai Kids Mobile Library”, an EV bus transformed into a learning space for children, uniting learning with opportunity. We proudly support progress both on and off the field.”
Major General Khiev Sameth, President, AFF, said: “On behalf of the ASEAN Football Federation and our Member Associations, we are honoured to welcome Hyundai, a global leader in mobility and innovation and a steadfast supporter of football as the Title Partner of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™.
Hyundai’s legacy of excellence and its unwavering commitment to the global football community align perfectly with AFF’s mission to drive the growth and development of football across Southeast Asia. The ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ embodies the highest aspirations of our region’s players, fans and nations. Together with
Hyundai, we are poised to write an exciting new chapter, one that will inspire future generations, strengthen our communities, and proudly showcase the boundless spirit of ASEAN to the world.”
Seamus O’Brien, President and Chairman of the Board, APAC, SPORTFIVE said: “Hyundai’s partnership heralds an important era for ASEAN football, and it is particularly significant in the evolution of the ASEAN Championship, a powerhouse event with unrivalled audiences and fan affinity in the region, into a major international event. It also comes at a pivotal moment as global focus shifts towards ASEAN’s emergence as an economic force.
The rise of ASEAN’s national teams is on pace with the region’s increasing importance as one of the world’s most dynamic auto markets and manufacturing hubs. So too, the Hyundai Cup™ supports Hyundai’s strategy to grow Southeast Asia into becoming a major contributor to its global sales while strengthening its football dominance worldwide. We are very excited to work with Hyundai and the AFF to further elevate the Hyundai Cup’s stature, strengthen its position as ratings leader, and as importantly, to support Hyundai’s ambitions to achieve market leadership.”
The announcement was made at a press conference in Jakarta, attended by the AFF President Major General Khiev Sameth and General-Secretary Mr. Winston Lee, Mr. Sunny Kim, President, Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific and Mr. Seamus O’Brien, President and Chairman of the Board, SPORTFIVE Asia.
Learn more about the ASEAN United FC events at https://aseanutdfc.com/ and @aseanutdfc on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn.
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About Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific Headquarter
Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific (HMAP) operates as the regional arm of Hyundai Motor Company, committed to advancing the future of mobility and fostering an EV ecosystem across the region. Extending across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, HMAP actively supports and collaborates with its subsidiaries in promoting and selling a diverse range of vehicles. Our regional network includes sales subsidiaries, manufacturing plants, and distributor partners.
About Hyundai Motor Philippines
Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc. is the official sales subsidiary and distributor for Hyundai passenger cars in the Philippines. Inaugurated on the 1st of June 2022, the company aims to inspire Filipinos to ‘Innovate Everyday’ with and through its range of vehicles developed with eco-friendly and human-oriented technologies. Its mission is to play a role that extends beyond being a car manufacturer and more towards a customer’s lifetime companion in a united world for sustainability.
About ASEAN Football Federation (AFF)
Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the AFF is the sub-regional governing body of football in the ASEAN region, and part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA. Founded in 1984, the AFF has 12 Member Associations – Australia, Brunei DS. Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
The organisation administers football in Southeast Asia and manages its regional competitions which include the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™, ASEAN Cub Championship Shopee Cup™, ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup™ and ASEAN U-23 Championship™ among others.