Tournament runs Sept. 23–Oct. 6 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Previous edition drew 85.1 million viewers across 168 countries
Hankook named sole tire brand partner, with stadium-wide exposure
Hankook Tire & Technology announced Tuesday that it will serve as an official partner of the 2026 Gulf Cup, to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from Wednesday through Oct. 6.
Now in its 27th edition, the Gulf Cup is organized by the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation and is the Middle East's most prestigious football tournament, featuring national teams from eight Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq and Yemen.
Hankook Tire is the tournament's sole official tire brand partner. The competition will be played across 15 matches at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah.
Throughout the tournament, Hankook will promote its global brand "Hankook" through LED pitch-side advertising, large screens and media backdrops. LED ads will run during matches, while large-screen spots will air before and after games and at halftime. The company also plans to expand fan engagement through social media campaigns and prize events.
Hankook will also invite key customers and local business partners to the tournament to offer brand experiences and strengthen relationships.
The partnership marks an expansion of Hankook's Middle East presence beyond club and league deals — such as those with Al Ain FC and the Qatar Stars League — into international tournaments featuring national teams, broadening the company's brand reach across the Gulf Cooperation Council region.
The Gulf Cup is a major sporting event: the previous edition drew a cumulative audience of 85.1 million viewers in 168 countries and generated about 19.8 billion social and online media impressions. The tournament gives Hankook a broad range of brand exposure opportunities in the Middle East.
Hankook maintains a wide sports partnership portfolio spanning the Qatar Stars League, Al Ain FC, Al Ittihad, the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League, Borussia Dortmund, and the Ballon d'Or, deepening its connections with sports fans worldwide.
Hankook sells tires in more than 160 countries through four regional headquarters, more than 30 overseas offices, eight production facilities and five R&D centers. More than 85 percent of its total sales come from overseas markets.
eyre@heraldcorp.com
