Avidly seeking to expand its presence in Europe, South Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. has decided to sponsor English Premiership giant Chelsea Football Club in hopes of enhancing its brand awareness.

The Korean carmaker said Tuesday it signed a four-year sponsorship contract with Chelsea Football Club as a global automotive partner. Under the contract, Chelsea players will wear jersey with Hyundai Motor logo during matches for four years from the Premier League game of the 2018/2019 season to the 2021/2022 season. Hyundai Motor logo also will be displayed on LED perimeter in football pitches during Chelsea matches.

Besides that, the Korean company will showcase its vehicles at Chelsea’s home ground Stamford Bridge to appeal to local football fans.

Chelsea FC is a professional football club founded in 1905 in London, England, that competes in the Premier League. The club has won 28 major trophies since 1997 including six titles, eight FA Cups, one UEFA Champions League and one UEFA Europa League.

Hyundai Motor expects the latest sponsorship for Chelsea Football Club would improve its brand awareness in not only the U.K. but also its neighboring countries where football is a big sport. The company will focus to share its passion for football with local football fans and build an emotional connection and communicate with those prospective customers.

The Chelsea sponsorship is the latest sports marketing that Hyundai Motor has been actively promoting. It has been backing the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) since 1999 by signing an agreement to sponsor 13 FIFA competitions including the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan. It also supports Lyon-based French football club Olympique Lyonnais, referred to as simply Lyon or OL, since 2012.

By Lee Seung-hoon and Lee Ha-yeon

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