Kia Motors plays at the 2010 FIFA World Cup

The world’s most important football event with the most popular international football players deserve only the best movers there are, and those are the Kia cars.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa has officially chosen Kia vehicles in transporting the teams, officials, delegates, and VIP’s from all around the globe to the different venues of this month-long global spectacle. Kia Motors is the Official Automotive Partner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

This is the 19th FIFA World Cup and it’s being held in Africa for the first time. Kia will be busy transporting players and officials to twelve official stadiums all over the country. These venues are in the following cities: Johannesburg (two venues), Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Kimberley, Nelspruit, Orkney, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, and Rustenburg. Five of these stadiums are newly built while the others were upgraded.

South Africa also improved public transport within various cities and localities, as well as prepared special safety and security measures for all its local and international guests.

During the handover ceremony at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, Kia turned over more than 200 vehicles to the World Cup organizers. The vehicles include the new Sorento SUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Sedona multi-purpose vehicle, and a fleet of Kia-liveried buses. The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 11, 2010.

Soon-Nam Lee, the director of Kia’s Overseas Marketing Group announced, “Kia Motors is delighted to play an important part in the upcoming World Cup in South Africa. Being involved actively in football marketing is an integral part of our vision to become a formidable player on the global automotive stage. We have made a strategic effort to boost our young and energetic brand identity by ramping up our presence in major sports sponsorships and to elevate Kia’s global brand awareness to the next level.” Lee was present at the handover ceremony, which was attended by both FIFA and Kia officials.

The World Cup is always a historic global event. Johannesburg can’t be more proud to host the tournament this year. It fixed and improved its major road networks as the country expects to host a number of tourists it has never had before. Better roads also mean faster and more efficient performance of the commissioned Kia vehicles.

“With just 21 days remaining until the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa,” said Jérôme Valcke, FIFA secretary general, during the handover ceremony, “the provision of official vehicles is the last piece of the puzzle in ensuring that this long-waited event will be the most successful World Cup in history.

As a maker of stylish, comfortable and reliable vehicles, Kia Motors’ contribution in this regard will go a long way toward ensuring the safe and convenient transportation of World Cup related individuals and VIPs throughout the duration of this year’s tournament.”

The FIFA-Kia partnership has been inked to last a few more yeas after the 19th World Cup has ended. FIFA signed Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group as Official Automotive Partner from 2007 to 2014.

Sepp Blatter, FIFA President said, “I am very proud to be able to welcome yet another trusted partner back on board as FIFA launches into a new era of its more than 100-year existence. Hyundai Kia shares our deep-rooted passion for the game of football as well as a commitment to developing the sport around the world and through all walks of life.”