Hyundai Motor signs partnership with Inter Miami, Messi's club, to expand US soccer push

Hyundai Motor has teamed up with Inter Miami CF, the Major League Soccer club best known as the home of Lionel Messi, extending the momentum from its FIFA World Cup sponsorship into the US professional soccer scene to reach more American fans.

Hyundai Motor's US subsidiary signed a multi-year partnership with Inter Miami CF on Tuesday, according to industry sources. Under the deal, Hyundai Motor becomes the club's official automotive partner and an official club partner. The automaker also joins as a founding partner of Miami Freedom Park, the mixed-use sports and cultural complex the club is developing.

Inter Miami's global profile has risen sharply since Messi joined the club, drawing in soccer fans across Latin America as well as South Florida. For Hyundai Motor, the partnership offers a chance to capitalize on the surge in soccer enthusiasm generated by the North and Central America World Cup and broaden its brand exposure in the United States.

The partnership goes well beyond stadium advertising. Hyundai Motor will display its brand throughout Inter Miami's home ground, Nou Stadium, and across the future Miami Freedom Park development — a 131-acre mixed-use project centered on a new stadium that will combine soccer, performances, dining, shopping and community programs.

The East Club, one of Nou Stadium's premier hospitality spaces, will be rebranded as the "Hyundai Club." Miami Freedom Park will also feature a "Hyundai Garage" — a parking facility designed with the heron motif that serves as Inter Miami's symbol.

Hyundai Motor is also linking the partnership to its corporate social responsibility efforts. Each time Inter Miami scores a goal during the regular season, the automaker will donate to Hyundai Hope on Wheels, a nonprofit supporting pediatric cancer research and the families of young patients.

Fan engagement programs will run alongside the sponsorship. The two sides plan to give Inter Miami supporters hands-on exposure to the Hyundai Motor brand through digital content, giveaways and on-site events on match days. The automaker is expected to showcase its 2026 Palisade, Santa Fe and Tucson models to connect with local consumers.

"Hyundai Motor is proud to partner with the globally recognized Inter Miami CF," said Randy Parker, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. "As a long-standing FIFA partner, we look forward to keeping the passion for soccer alive and delivering meaningful experiences for fans and the community."

Xavier Asensi, president of business operations at Inter Miami CF, said Hyundai Motor's commitment to innovation and positive impact aligns with the club's vision. "We will build a partnership that creates new experiences for our fans and contributes to the community," he said.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor's soccer marketing has been expanding steadily. The automaker has sponsored the FIFA World Cup for 27 years since becoming an official FIFA partner in 1999, and this year's North and Central America World Cup saw it supply official vehicles and robotics content. It has also broadened its regional reach by signing on as title sponsor of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup, a Southeast Asian soccer tournament.