Where Young Dreams Move Forward
The 49th Team Creating the Opening Moment of the FIFA World Cup 2026™
Kia creates the very first moment
of the FIFA World Cup™.
- As the world watches, the FIFA World Cup™ begins with OMBC.
- The Official Match Ball Carrier (OMBC) is a program operated by Kia,
- inviting children onto the pitch to deliver the official match ball to the referee—
- formally signaling the start of the match. Each child is personally selected and invited by Kia.
- In that defining moment, they step into the very heart of the world’s biggest stage.
- As the world watches,
- the FIFA World Cup™ begins with OMBC.
- The Official Match Ball Carrier (OMBC) is
- a program operated by Kia,
- inviting children onto the pitch
- to deliver the official match ball
- to the referee—formally signaling
- the start of the match. Each child is
- personally selected and invited by Kia.
- In that defining moment,
- they step into the very heart
- of the world’s biggest stage.
The World Cup™’s 49th Team
As the largest FIFA World Cup™ in history approaches in 2026, OMBC expands to a new global stage: Kia OMBC Cup 2026™. This program transforms into a worldwide challenge, bringing together promising young players selected from ten countries to compete in a newly established youth tournament.
Beyond the 48 teams of the FIFA World Cup™, these children come together as the symbolic 49th team, supported by Kia to help shape the next chapter of the tournament.
Where Possibility Begins
There is a moment when children from different backgrounds choose a single dream and step forward with courage for the first time. For Kia OMBC Cup 2026™, the future begins with that choice.
Kia stands alongside the children throughout their journey. Guided by football legends, they embrace responsibility, growing step by step through experience.
This story is not about final achievement, but about the moment they begin moving toward their potential. Kia walks with them—from unseen first challenges to the opening moments of the FIFA World Cup™.
A Stage Where Dreams Converge: Kia OMBC Cup 2026™
Children selected from around the world gather in Los Angeles. Here, matches are more than competition. They become moments where mindset, courage, and possibility are revealed. Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ goes beyond selection— it is the first stage where young players bring their dreams to life on the pitch.
The Local Stage on the Road to the FIFA World Cup™
The First Step toward a Dream
Across ten countries, seven young players per country are selected through local auditions. The criteria extend beyond technical skill, focusing on mindset, preparation, and commitment.
Growing with Legends
Children train under world-renowned football legends who serve as both coaches and mentors. Through training, guidance, and real competition, they develop skill, character, and confidence. Here, matches are about growth—not just winning.
The Starting Point of the FIFA World Cup™ Journey
Kia OMBC Cup 2026™ is a youth tournament where selected players form teams and compete. The journey does not end with selection— on the pitch, they prove their potential and create moments of growth.
At Last, the Children Who Stand at the Start of the FIFA World Cup™
On the stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, children step onto the pitch not as spectators, but as those who help signal the opening moment of the match. Their presence marks a new chapter of the FIFA World Cup™.
Experience Beyond the Match
The excitement that begins inside the stadium extends far beyond it. As an official partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Kia expands the tournament experience—from mobility to connection.
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OMBC has long invited children
to take part
in the opening
moment of the FIFA World Cup™.
The OMBC Cup transforms
their own challenge
into
an experience of growth.
And at the moment they deliver
the official match ball,
the match officially begins.
