Kia hosts the global Kia OMBC Cup 2026™, bringing together young football players from nine countries
Tournament expands Kia’s Official Match Ball Carrier (OMBC) programme as part of its FIFA World Cup 2026™ partnership
Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ experience is captured through a short documentary film, highlighting youth connection, inspiration, and cultural exchange
Event highlights the symbolic ‘49th Team’, representing a borderless community beyond the 48 competing nations
Kia Corporation has hosted the Kia OMBC Cup 2026™, a global youth football tournament uniting young players from around the world as an extension of the Official Match Ball Carrier (OMBC) programme under the company’s ongoing partnership with the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Held at LA Galaxy Park in Carson, California, in the United States, the Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ brought together 63 youth players from nine countries, offering participants a shared opportunity to experience the values of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ while reinforcing Kia’s brand vision of connecting future generations and the global community through inspiration.
To capture the spirit of the event, Kia released a short film documenting the Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ experience, highlighting moments of competition, connection, and cultural exchange among participants. Additional digital content, including the ‘49th Team’ manifesto video and the broader OMBC campaign film, will be released sequentially from late April onward through the Kia Worldwide YouTube channel.
Minsoo Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Brand & CX Division, Kia Corporation, said: “Through the Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ we wanted to give young players the opportunity to experience the FIFA World Cup 2026™ as a meaningful journey of connection. We hope these moments of inspiration will continue to grow into new stories, and we look forward to continuing the journey towards this year’s tournament together.”
What is the Kia OMBC Cup 2026™?
The Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ is a global youth football tournament developed as an extension of Kia’s OMBC programme, one of the core initiatives in Kia’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ partnership.
The tournament expands the OMBC programme beyond ceremonial participation by offering young players a deeper, shared FIFA World Cup™ - inspired experience, while reinforcing Kia’s commitment to connecting future generations through football.
Who participated in the Kia OMBC Cup 2026™, and how was it structured?
A total of 63 youth players from nine countries took part in the tournament, including:
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
Mexico
Spain
Brazil
Argentina
Korea
Australia
The Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ followed a friendly tournament format, combining group and knockout-style matches, while emphasising collaboration and cultural exchange.
What is the ‘49th Team’ concept?
The ‘49th Team’ from the Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ represents a unified, borderless team, symbolically positioned beyond the 48 nations competing in the FIFA World Cup 2026™, reflecting:
A borderless global community
Shared experiences across countries and cultures
Kia’s vision of connecting people through football
How does the Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ expand the Official Match Ball Carrier programme?
Traditionally, the OMBC programme focuses on the ceremonial role of delivering the official match ball at FIFA World Cup™ matches. The Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ expands this by:
Offering a longer, more immersive journey for the participating young players
Positioning youth participants as active contributors, not just symbolic figures
Creating meaningful experiences that extend beyond matchday
