Hankook extends UEFA partnership by three years
Hankook Tire is extending its involvement in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League for a further three years until the end of the 2026/27 season.
Furthermore, through the sponsorship of the UEFA Conference League, Laufenn, a brand by Hankook Tire, will further increase its brand awareness in the important second-tier segment within the tyre industry.
In the first year of the new three-year sponsorship cycle, the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League season evolves from a 32-team group stage to a 36-team league phase, giving four more teams the opportunity to compete in this competition.
Each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents in this phase, four home and four away. In the UEFA Conference League, the number of participants that will participate in a league phase will also increase to 36 clubs; however, each team plays six different opponents.
Customers and partners of Hankook and Laufenn will thus be able to watch the competition of 72 teams in total.
Sanghoon Lee, president & COO of Hankook Tire Europe said: “Football is the most popular and loved sport in Europe. Millions of fans will follow the matches on TV and in the stadiums, and we are proud to be part of it.
“Our sponsorship of both the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League is a key element of our marketing strategy, aiming to further enhance the awareness and acceptance of Hankook and Laufenn in the European market.
In particular, the significant brand exposure of Hankook Tire’s iON, premium tires exclusively developed for electric vehicles, will support our goal to be the world’s leading EV tire manufacturer. Furthermore, introducing the UEFA Conference League has already proven to be the perfect platform for raising awareness of Laufenn in Europe.”
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director added: “We are thrilled that Hankook, the UEFA Europa League’s longest-standing sponsor, will remain a partner for the next three seasons of both the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, especially as we enter the new league phase format era of our men’s club competitions.
“We look forward to building on the fruitful relationship that we have had for more than a decade to further elevate the fan experience while also driving forward our mutual commitment to community engagement.”