Hyundai Motor Connects with Next Generation of Football Fans through 'Hyundai NEXT Cup Tour' on 'Top Eleven'
- Hyundai Motor, together with Nordeus, launches the 'Hyundai NEXT Cup Tour,' an immersive in-game event on the popular mobile football management game 'Top Eleven: Be a Football Manager'
- The campaign builds on Hyundai Motor's 25+ year history in football, extending its presence beyond physical stadiums to connect with digital-native generations (Gen Z and Gen Alpha)
- The event integrates Hyundai Motor's strategic vehicle models into a 10-nation virtual tour, reinterpreting their unique features as in-game football skills
- This collaboration marks Hyundai Motor's expansion into the tactical football management genre, moving beyond traditional racing game partnerships
SEOUL, South Korea, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company today announced the launch of the 'Hyundai NEXT Cup Tour,' a new in-game event in 'Top Eleven: Be a Football Manager', one of the world's most popular mobile football management games.
Running from April 23–May 2, the event coincides with Top Eleven's 16th Anniversary season, leveraging a period of peak player engagement. As football fandom continues to evolve, Hyundai Motor has been exploring new ways to connect with fans across different environments and moments — from shared live experiences to more personal, digital-first forms of engagement. Rather than simply branching into new genres, the initiative broadens the football experience beyond physical venues — creating a vibrant space for fans to connect with the sport anytime, anywhere.
"For more than 25 years, football has been a powerful platform for Hyundai to connect with people worldwide. With the 'Hyundai NEXT Cup Tour' in Top Eleven, we are opening a new chapter by translating the energy and strategy of the game into an interactive experience. This collaboration feels native to digital-first audiences and reflects how the next generation engages with the sport they love." – Sungwon Jee, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company
"Hyundai Motor has, for years, been at the intersection of football and some of the world's most celebrated brands, so welcoming them to the Top Eleven touchline is an exciting milestone. As the game approaches its 16th anniversary of delighting football fans worldwide, bringing this event to life at such a thrilling moment for football, together with Hyundai Motor, reflects Top Eleven's commitment to continuously finding new ways to deliver unique, evergreen football stories for fans." – Marko Jevtic, Executive Vice President at Nordeus
What is the 'Hyundai NEXT Cup Tour'?
'Hyundai NEXT Cup Tour' invites Top Eleven players to manage their club through a series of 10 sequential missions across the world. The virtual tour begins in Indonesia and travels through 10 of Hyundai Motor's key global markets, culminating in the United States, mirroring the brand's story of global growth. This structure allows the brand to deliver high-impact engagement that connects with the game's core loop of strategy, progression and decision-making.
How Does the In-Game Integration Work?
Rather than a one-way advertising exposure, the event seamlessly integrates Hyundai Motor's flagship vehicle models into the player's strategic journey. Each of the 10 tour stops features a locally representative model, with the vehicle's unique selling proposition reinterpreted as an in-game football activity.
For example, IONIQ 5's ultra-fast charging is framed as keeping a team's condition high during a packed schedule, while INSTER's blend of speed and compactness positions it well for reacting at a moment's notice with velocity and agility. Players who progress through the in-game missions can earn exclusive, limited-edition Hyundai-branded in-game items, including a team jersey and an emblem.
This initiative reflects Hyundai Motor's commitment to evolving its brand experience for digital natives, carrying the energy, unity and inspiration of sport into the next generation of gaming experiences.
More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at:
https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai
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