[2026 Coupang Play Series] Team K League Faces Off Against Manchester City... 'Elite Squad Deploys'

The first match of the '2026 Coupang Play Series' will be held at 8 p.m. on the 5th at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Even under a heat advisory, Team K League, led by head coach Jung Jung-yong, and Manchester City, under head coach Enzo Maresca, each officially announced their elite starting lineups, foreshadowing a tightly contested clash.

Global Powerhouse Manchester City Brings Key Squad to Korea Manchester City has topped the English Premier League (PL) eight times since 2010 and, in the 2022-23 season, became only the second English club after Manchester United to achieve a treble. On this season's Asia tour, some key World Cup-participating players such as Erling Haaland and Rodri are absent, but core players including Phil Foden and Gianluigi Donnarumma have traveled to Korea, raising expectations.

• *Team K League Starting Lineup and Substitutes**
• Team K League is led by head coach Jung Jung-yong and coach Jung Kyung-ho. Two players were selected from each K League 1 club, with only Kim Ryun-sung joining from Jeju SK.
• Starting Lineup: Goalkeeper Song Bum-keun, along with defenders Kim Moon-hwan, Yazon, Eo Jeong-won, and Lee Ki-hyuk / midfielders Kim Dae-won, Kim Bong-soo, Mateus, and Park Tae-joon / attackers Yago and Lee Dong-gyeong
• Substitutes: Ku Seong-yun, Kwon Kyung-won, Kim Ryun-sung, Ahn Tae-hyun, Juan Ibiza, Ki Sung-yueng, Kim Ju-chan, Moon Min-seo, Son Jeong-beom, Ha Seung-woon, Gallego, Mugosa, Lee Seung-woo
• In particular, Lee Seung-woo, who has recorded 5 goals and 2 assists for Jeonbuk Hyundai this season, and Pohang Steelers' veteran midfielder Ki Sung-yueng are ready to come on as substitutes.

• *Manchester City Starting Lineup and Substitutes**
• Under head coach Enzo Maresca, Manchester City has assembled the following squad.
• Starting Lineup: Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, along with defenders Ruben Dias, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Josko Gvardiol, and Abdulkodir Khusanov / midfielders Rico Lewis, Tijjani Reijnders, and Mateo Kovacic / attackers Antoine Semenyo, Phil Foden, and Divin Mubama
• Substitutes: Marcus Bettinelli, Jack Wint, Max Chabot, Vitor Reis, Kayden Braithwaite, Max Allen, Matty Henderson-Hall, Steff Mfuni, Nico Gonzalez, Savinho, Mateus Nunes, Claudio Echeverri, Jeremy Monga, Divin Mukasa, Floyd Samba, Jaden Heskey, Xavier Parker, Omar Marmoush, and Mahamadou Sangare
• Notably, Divin Mubama, included in the starting lineup, is a prospect born in 2004 who contributed to West Ham United's UEFA Europa Conference League title in the 2022-2023 season.

Key Matchup to Watch: Lee Dong-gyeong vs Phil Foden, 'Left-Footed Midfielder' Showdown Lee Dong-gyeong, who has been in outstanding form with 9 goals and 5 assists in the K League 1 this season, named Phil Foden as the Manchester City player he looks forward to facing the most. Lee said, "I want to see Foden's play in person, as he is a left-footed midfielder like me." With Foden also starting, the clash between the two left-footed midfielders is highlighted as the key watching point of this match.

Both Managers Vow to 'Challenge for Victory with Strong Performance' Before the match, Team K League head coach Jung Jung-yong expressed his ambition, saying, "I am grateful for the opportunity to compete against a world-class team," and adding, "Even though we are playing during the league schedule, we will show the fans a good performance." He went on to say, "We will establish a basic shape in attack and defense and respond freely within that framework." Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca also showed a strong will to win, stating, "It is important to see the development of the team and players through the match," and adding, "Winning is the goal."

Meanwhile, Team K League previously defeated Atletico Madrid 3-2 in 2023 and Newcastle United 1-0 in 2025. In this match as well, they aim to challenge for another thrilling upset against Maresca's Manchester City.