Newcastle United to visit Korea for preseason matches

Newcastle United players celebrate at the end of the match after qualifying for the Champions League on May 25. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

 
Newcastle United and a team of Korean league All-Stars will join Tottenham Hotspur in a series of preseason matches here this summer.
 
Korean streaming service Coupang Play announced Tuesday that Newcastle United will make their first trip to Korea as part of the “2025 Coupang Play Series,” the company’s annual event featuring popular European football clubs for summer exhibitions.
 
 
Coupang had announced on May 19 that Tottenham Hotspur, featuring Korean-born captain Son Heung-min, will visit Korea for the third time in four years for the preseason series.
 
With Newcastle United’s visit, the Coupang Play Series will pit two Premier League clubs against each other for the first time since its inception in 2022.
 
Newcastle United won the English Football League Cup in March, beating Liverpool for their first domestic trophy in 70 years. They also finished fifth in the Premier League to secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League next season.
 
Newcastle’s attack is led by Alexander Isak, who finished second overall in the Premier League this season with 23 goals. Their English midfielder Harvey Barnes once said Son was an inspiration to him.
 
“Team K League,” to be made up of All-Stars in the domestic league, will also be part of the annual preseason series.
 
Coupang Play said it is in the final stages of getting approval from the Korea Football Association on the match schedules and venues.
 

Yonhap