City will return to South Korea in August as part of our 2026 Asia Tour.
What’s on CITY+ and Recast in July?
The Blues will face the K-League All-Stars and Atletico Madrid in the Seoul World Cup Stadium ahead of the new season as we return to a nation who have always provided the warmest of welcomes.
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It will be our third trip to South Korea having previously toured there in 1976 and 2023.
Below are the matches we have played so far on Korean soil…
30 May 1976 – SOUTH KOREA B XI 4 CITY 2
Coming immediately after the four matches in Japan, Tony Book’s League Cup winners had another three games before the summer break.
First up, a 4-2 defeat to South Korea’s second side just a day after landing in the country from Japan.
In his book, ‘My Football Journey’, Dennis Tueart recalls the team standing out in the sun for an extended period ahead of kick-off before the two sides took out their frustration on each other.
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That ended up with Tueart being stretchered off the pitch after a high tackle from a South Korea player, who was promptly sent off.
Tueart had earlier scored City’s first goal on the day before Gary Owen got our second. However, it was defeat for City.
1 June 1976 – SOUTH KOREA NATIONAL XI 0 CITY 3
It was a slightly different home side who took to the field two days later and a now acclimatised City put on a show for an estimated 50,000 people.
The defenders made the difference in front of goal, with Mike Lester scoring the first before a Kenny Clements brace got the Blues back on track.
3 June 1976 – SOUTH KOREA NATIONAL XI 0 CITY 3
A gruelling season that saw us lift the League Cup and then set off for Japan and South Korea came to an end with another comprehensive victory.
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Exactly 14 days after the first game of our post-season tour in Asia, it was two strikes from Paul Power and a Tueart finish that earned a sixth win in seven matches.
The start of the 1976/77 season was still almost three months away but it was all set to be a memorable one at Maine Road.
Book’s side earned a second place finish in the First Division, our joint best league season until the 2011/12 title from Roberto Mancini’s City team.
30 july 2023 – city 1 ATLETICO MADRID 2
Having met Atleti over two legs in the Champions League in April 2022 – our first competitive meetings with the La Liga side – we played Diego Simeone’s men again 15 months later in South Korea.
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After several days of hot and humid weather, torrential rain fell on the day of the game, delaying kick-off.
This time, Atleti took the honours, beating the Blues 2-1 in Seoul with goals from Memphis Depay and Yannick Carrasco rendering Ruben Dias’ late headed goal little more than a consolation.
Both teams changed personnel shortly after the second-half restart with two different XIs effectively ending the game.
The match was watched by 64,165 fans – the majority wearing sky blue – and our latest visit will no doubt be the same!
Watch our 2026 tour games on CITY+!
Subscribe to CITY+ now to see all three of City’s games during our 2026 pre-season tour of Asia.
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We start in Hong Kong against Italian champions Inter on Saturday 1 August, with kick-off at 12:30 (UK).
After that, we go to Seoul to play a K League All-Stars side on Wednesday 5 August and then Atletico Madrid on Sunday 9 August.
All three will be available to watch on mancity.com and our official app for current CITY+ subscribers in supported locations*.
Available for £34.99 for an annual subscription or £4.99 per month, CITY+ gets you closer to the Club than ever before, with documentaries, live games and full-match replays throughout the season.
*Exact regions and territories to be confirmed.
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