Kia partners to provide vehicle support for the iconic FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola across the Middle East region

- FIFA ambassadors Ricardo Kaka, Iker Casillas, Gilberto Silva and Christian Karembeu also join the tour.
- Kia will continue to provide up to seven vehicles per location to transport the iconic FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola and FIFA legends to and within its destinations.

Kia Corporation has partnered with the fifth edition of the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola, to become the official automotive partner for the event in the Middle East. In its role, the Korean automaker will supply vehicles from its award-winning fleet to carry the tournament’s iconic golden trophy to fans across the Middle East and South Asia.

As a global mobility brand dedicated to providing sustainable mobility solutions, the company will help Coca-Cola to transport the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy1 and FIFA ambassadors across the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Pakistan during its first phase, before heading to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar during its second phase.

“True to Kia’s brand purpose, ‘Movement that Inspires’, we always try to inspire people across the world to make more of life through the cars we produce and the services we provide,” commented Yaser Shabsogh, Chief Operating Officer, Regional HQs, Middle East & Africa, Kia. “It’s exciting to take this movement one step further through our collaboration with Coca-Cola and the remainder of the tour that lies ahead of us. Football is a great unifier, and the FIFA World Cup™ is the pinnacle of the sport. We look forward to continuing to play our part in inspiring fans in the buildup to the tournament with our fleet of vehicles leading the way.”

Through the tour, not only will the region’s football fans witness the prize that awaits this winter’s successful international team, they’ll also be in the company of true footballing legends. The tour’s first stop in Dubai on May 12 saw Brazil’s 2002 World Cup winner Kaka and Spain’s 2010 tournament-winning captain Iker Casillas reveal the trophy and joined fans for a series of activities at the Coca-Cola Arena.

The trophy visited Oman on May 13, Kuwait on May 16, and Bahrain on June 4 with former Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva to help fans build excitement for the tournament, before French 1998 World Cup-winner Christian Karembeu took over as the trophy reached Beirut on June 5, Tashkent on June 6, and Lahore on June 7. The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will continue its world tour during a second phase, passing through Saudi Arabia on November 11 and 12 before arriving in Qatar on November 13.

As a partner of the FIFA World Cup™, the automotive brand will support the greatest sporting event operations by providing official event automobiles. The vehicle fleet will include Kia passenger cars and Kia-branded buses specifically dedicated to transporting national players and referees.

Kia Corporation – about us Kia (www.kia.com) is a global mobility brand with a vision to create sustainable mobility solutions for consumers, communities, and societies around the world. Founded in 1944, Kia has been providing mobility solutions for more than 75 years. With 52,000 employees worldwide, a presence in more than 190 markets, and manufacturing facilities in six countries, the company today sells around three million vehicles a year. Kia is spearheading the popularization of electrified and battery electric vehicles and developing a growing range of mobility services, encouraging millions of people around the world to explore the best ways of getting around. The company's brand slogan – ‘Movement that inspires’ – reflects Kia’s commitment to inspire consumers through its products and services.