FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., March 22, 2016 – As part of its long-standing partnership with FIFA, the international governing body of football and the namesake behind the wildly popular FIFA video game, Hyundai is extending its sponsorship into the virtual world as an official partner of the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2016 (FIWC16). The tournament, which is the largest elimination-style of its kind in the world, takes place March 20-23, 2016, in New York. The final showdown on March 22 will take place at the world famous Apollo Theater in Manhattan.
“Since our partnership began in 2010, we have explored different avenues to extend our relationship beyond the field and connect with fans of both the FIFA video game and the Hyundai brand,” said Dean Evans, chief marketing officer, Hyundai Motor America. “As an official partner of the 2016 FIFA Interactive World Cup, we can tap into a new audience and further our commitment to fueling the passion of fans everywhere.”
The journey towards the FIWC16 began in October 2015. Players from Europe, North, Central and South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania competed on Xbox One and PlayStation® 4 platforms to land a spot in the tournament’s 30-player roster. The current FIWC15 champion, along with one host country qualifier, also earn a spot in the tournament, bringing the final count to 32 players. During the three-day event in New York, players will compete in the elimination-style tournament until a winner is crowned on March 22.
Hyundai’s sponsorship of the event includes a fleet of transportation vehicles to shuttle players to and from the tournament, including one 2016 Tucson and four 2017 Santa Fe SUVs. Hyundai will be included in signage at the event and will be giving away 500 co-branded scarves to tournament attendees.
A host of international media will be covering the event, and the competition will be streamed live on FIFA’s YouTube channel, embedded on FIFA.com, facebook.com/fiwc and FOX2go/FOX Sports Go. The final showdown will also be broadcasted live on FOX Sports 1. Fans can follow the action on FIFA’s Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat accounts.
Finally, David Villa, striker for New York City FC, will be conducting the trophy handover for select media at the conclusion of the tournament.
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