[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Hyundai Motor will add a 2026 FIFA World Cup display theme to infotainment systems in some models, including the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9.

On May 12 local time, electric vehicle outlet CleanTechnica reported that the theme will apply not only to electric vehicles but also to some non-electric vehicles, and will be offered in South Korea, the United States, Canada and Europe.

The models covered are the battery-electric Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9, and the hydrogen fuel cell electric Nexo. The Ioniq 6 is excluded from the update. The outlet reported that the Ioniq 6 is also a model being withdrawn from the U.S. market, but the reason it will not receive the theme was not clearly explained.

Users can download the theme by accessing the Bluelink Store in the myHyundai application, without visiting a nearby service center. Hyundai Motor said the theme is part of the "Next Starts Now" campaign and links the excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the company’s vision of progress and innovation.

The vehicle screen layout will also be changed to highlight the World Cup atmosphere. Hyundai Motor said the new theme shifts the digital cluster and infotainment screen to a dynamic design inspired by the World Cup. It also said Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot Atlas and quadruped robot Spot will appear when the vehicle is started and turned off, and on some navigation screens.

Seongwon Ji (지성원), vice president and Hyundai Motor’s global chief marketing officer, said that as a long-term FIFA World Cup partner, the company continues to look for new ways for customers to experience the tournament’s passion as they travel. He said the new display theme was designed to let users experience together the future of football to be unveiled at the 2026 tournament and Hyundai Motor’s future mobility vision.

The update also aligns with expanding customised user experiences using vehicle software. Hyundai Motor noted that the free theme shows the growing importance of software-based vehicle experiences. It is closer to an attempt to broaden customer touchpoints by linking in-cabin screens to brand campaigns and global sports events than to simply adding functions.

Hyundai Motor also plans to deploy robots at the 2026 World Cup venues. Atlas and Spot are expected to be used to support match operations, fan engagement, and improvements in safety and efficiency.

Against this backdrop, the theme update shows Hyundai Motor is expanding in-vehicle infotainment and software services beyond simple convenience features to become part of the brand experience. With the regions and models limited, attention is also on whether more models will be added later.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in Mexico, the United States and Canada from June 11 to July 19.