FRANKFURT -- Volkswagen Group will become the new mobility partner of the UEFA Euro 2020 soccer championship, replacing the current sponsor Hyundai.
VW is banking on the popularity of soccer as it seeks to restore its image following its diesel-emissions scandal and makes a strategic shift towards electric cars.
VW said in a statement that it will use the championship to showcase its new I.D. electric car.
Hyundai's cars and buses shuttled championship officials and VIP guests during the Euro 2016 held in France.
For the tournament's 60th anniversary, organizers have chosen a controversial format by which 13 cities across the continent will host matches, rather than only one or two countries.
Last month, VW said it would become the biggest commercial sponsor of Germany's national soccer team, replacing Mercedes-Benz after 45 years.
