Bayern, Atlético and Man City set for blockbuster friendlies in Korea
The clubs will take on local sides and each other in a week of massive matches, with star power on partial display as some big names recover from the World Cup.
Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, center, arrives at Jeju International Airport on Aug. 2.YONHAP
Three marquee football matches are set to light up Korea from Tuesday to Sunday as European heavyweights Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Atlético Madrid visit the country as part of their Asian preseason tours.
Bayern will kick off the week with a preseason friendly against Jeju SK in the Audi Football Summit 2026 at Jeju World Cup Stadium on Jeju at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
The German champions arrived in Korea on Sunday for their first visit since 2024. The squad includes Korean defender Kim Min-jae, along with stars Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich and new signing Luis Díaz. Bayern is widely regarded as one of the world's biggest football clubs with an estimated global fan base of 1 billion alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Manchester City will then face the K League All-Stars at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, before taking on Atlético at the same venue at 8 p.m. on Sunday in the Coupang Play Series.
Not every superstar, however, made the trip to Korea. Erling Haaland of Norway and Spain's Rodri, whose national teams reached the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026, are sitting out the tour as part of mandatory rest periods. Bayern striker Harry Kane is also absent for the same reason.
Even so, City will bring a strong squad featuring Phil Foden, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Josko Gvardiol.
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer arrives at Jeju International Airport on Aug. 2.NEWS1
Nuria Tarre, the chief marketing officer of City Football Group, acknowledged that Korean fans would be disappointed by Haaland's absence but said players who participated in the latter stages of the World Cup were required to take a three-week break. Tarre added that the squad traveling to Korea remained a strong one, highlighting hometown hero Foden as one of the marquee players making the trip.
The highlight of the tour is expected to be the match between City and Atlético, which will mark Lee Kang-in's first appearance for the Spanish side after his summer transfer. The Korean midfielder is set to make his debut wearing the club's iconic No. 7 shirt.
The hype has already kicked into high gear. Lee has topped jersey sales before even making his debut, and fans have eagerly snapped up tickets despite Premium A seats costing as much as 550,000 won ($385).
A promotional poster for Lee Kang-in's expected Atlético Madrid debut in the Coupang Play SeriesCOUPANG PLAY
"It's especially meaningful that my first match in my new uniform will be in Korea," Lee said. "I'll repay the incredible support from the fans by giving my very best in the game."
City and Atlético previously met in Seoul three years ago, in July 2023, for the Coupang Play Series.
More European clubs have been visiting Korea for preseason friendlies in July and August in recent years, as sports marketing built around globally recognized clubs has proven commercially successful.
E-commerce giant Coupang has invited leading European clubs through its streaming platform Coupang Play since 2022. The strategy has helped attract new subscribers while strengthening customer loyalty among sports viewers.
Manchester City's Rúben Dias scores with a header during a Coupang Play Series match against Atlético Madrid at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul, on July 30, 2023.YONHAP
Atlético and City have also continued visiting Korea as part of broader efforts to expand their fan bases across Asia.
The match between Bayern and Jeju SK was arranged to strengthen the Red & Gold Football partnership involving both clubs and Los Angeles FC, where Son Heung-min plies his trade.
Former Taeguk Warriors captain Koo Ja-cheol, who is now a youth adviser at Jeju SK, reportedly played a crucial role by leveraging the extensive network he built during his Bundesliga days. Bringing Bayern to Korea had long been one of his ambitions.
China's restrictions on European clubs touring the country following Lionel Messi's no-show in a game in Hong Kong in February 2024 may also have played a role in the German side's decision to choose Jeju, which is popular with Chinese tourists.
Not every European club's visit to Korea has ended on a high note.
Protesters demand full ticket refunds after Cristiano Ronaldo remained on the bench in a friendly against the K League All-Stars on July 26, 2019, outside the Korea Football Association headquarters in central Seoul on Aug. 5, 2019.YONHAP
In 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo sparked outrage among Korean fans after remaining on the bench throughout Juventus' match in Seoul despite expectations that he would play.
Last year's visit by Barcelona was also overshadowed by controversy. D-Drive, the promoter of the Spanish club’s Asian Tour, became embroiled in legal disputes with title sponsor Genesis BBQ Group over expense settlements.
Barca and manager Hansi Flick also expressed strong dissatisfaction with the team's travel schedule and event management.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
