Creta, Stargazer named ‘hero models’ of Hyundai Cup 2026

MANILA: The Hyundai Creta and Stargazer were named the “hero models” of the Hyundai Cup 2026.

For those who do not know, the South Korean carmaker is the official title sponsor for the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Football Championship, and the aforementioned program is part of its initiative to grow the sport in the Philippines, aimed to create more meaningful opportunities for young athletes, and bring the spirit of football closer to Filipinos. 

“Here at Hyundai, we believe that sports has the power to inspire, unite, and encourage growth among the youth. Through our local initiatives of the Hyundai Cup 2026, we want to make football as meaningful on Philippine grass as it is on a global stage, by giving these young athletes experiences and memories they are sure to remember for a lifetime,” HMPH Managing Director Cecil Capacete was quoted as saying.

“We are proud to carry “Progress for Humanity” even through sports, by making a positive impact on Filipino communities that goes beyond mobility,” he added. 

Other stories: Hyundai opens service, parts dealership in Tuguegarao City GAC PH boosts reach with 6 new dealerships in Luzon, Mindanao Kia PH, Unionbank team up for flexible payment solutions

Hyundai Creta, Stargazer quick specifications 

The Hyundai Creta and Stargazer appear to be fitting choices for families raising kids to be football athletes. 

Offering comfortable seats for five, the former is powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine mated to either the marque’s intelligent variable transmission (IVT) or a dual-clutch transmission system.

It generates more than enough power — at 157 horsepower (hp) and 253 Newton-meters (Nm) — to haul not only the little athlete, but also his or her football gear, snacks, and other sporting necessities.

Creature comfort amenities include leatherette seats, a 10.25-inch thin-film transistor instrument cluster, a similarly-sized infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic air conditioning, and a handful of cupholders. 

Meanwhile, the latter can seat as many as seven folks. This would be ideal for bringing the whole family to watch matches and cheer on one’s budding footballer. With plenty of space, it can also be a good vehicle to use for ferrying the team to and from the field safely.

Power comes from a 1.5-liter gasoline mill with an IVT to make 113 hp and 144 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, peace of mind comes from the Hyundai Smartsense, which on top of the basic safety features, adds technologies like smart cruise control, forward collision avoidance assist, lane following assist, lane keeping assist, blind spot collision avoidance assist, parking distance warning, manual speed limit assist, rear occupant alert, and a rear view monitor.

The Hyundai Creta starts at P1.134 million while the base variant of the Stargazer costs P1.118 million.

Local activations 

Early last month, HMPH turned over football equipment to local football camps.

Sometime later, the company hosted the Hyundai Cup 2026 Fun Day at the Vermosa Sports Hub. It partnered with The Younghusband Football Academy, Imus Football Academy, and De La Salle Zobel Football Team to hand over balls and ball carts in support of the camps’ local football programs.

There, some 75 kids from the aforementioned camps participated and had the opportunity to train under Philippine Youth National Team Coaches led by Philippine Football Federation Head of Youth Development Coach Tetsuya Tsuchida and engage in friendly matches. 

“Held in partnership with BPI-MS, the Fun Day underscores a shared commitment to empower future generations through sport while inspiring young athletes to pursue excellence both on and off the pitch,” HMPH wrote in a press release.

“The event culminated with twenty-two standout footballers being chosen as Kids Escorts who led out the Philippine and Myanmar National Teams onto the field during the Philippines’ first Hyundai Cup 2026 home game at New Clark City Athletics Stadium on July 28,” it added. 

Also read:

Will the Kia Sportage have the same warm reception as in UK? 

Kia Sonet gets one-star Global NCAP AOP rating

Kia concept car designed using AR device

Connect with us through our various social media pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZigWheelsPhilippines

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zigwheelsph/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zigwheels

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZigWheelsPhilippines/