We begin with two matches in Tokyo against Yokohama F. Marinos and then Bayern Munich before we head to South Korean capital Seoul to play Atletico Madrid.
Our first game is on Sunday 23 July against CFG sister club Yokohama F. Marinos and, as with all three during the tour, will be available for UK viewers via CITY+ or Recast.
The match will be played at the iconic Japan National Stadium in the country’s capital and here are some key facts to know about the venue.
How it began
Plans for a new stadium in Tokyo were submitted as part of the bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games and Paralympics.
After beating Madrid and Istanbul when the host city was announced in 2013, a final design was agreed with construction work beginning in December 2016 and completed three years later at a cost of around 157-billion-yen (£900m).
National home
The national stadium has a capacity of 68,000 and has kept the running track around the perimeter of the pitch so it can be used for future athletics events including the 2025 World Championships.
It is also used as the home for the Japan national team in rugby union as well as football.
First date
The stadium’s inaugural sporting event was the 2019 Emperor’s Cup final, which took place on January 1 2020.
Spain World’s Cup winners Andres Iniesta and David Villa featured for Vissel Kobe in a 2-0 victory over Kashima Antlers.
Covid impact
After the worldwide pandemic, the Olympics were postponed for 12 months and finally held in July and August 2021.
However, no spectators were able to attend events in the stadium due to the declaration of a state of emergency in Tokyo and is the only Games to be held without official spectators.
All seats are coloured differently to make it appear that there are people in any empty seats.
Iconic moments
While it was a sad situation for athletics fans to be unable to attend the Olympics, there were many special moments from the event for TV viewers.
The spirit of the Games was shown when high jumpers Mutaz Essa Barshim, from Qatar, and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi chose to share gold rather than compete in a “jump-off”.
Green is the colour
Organisers wanted the 2020 games to be carbon neutral and that was incorporated into the design of the stadium.
Solar panels attached to the roof power the stadium and the watering of plants and greenery which wrap the edges of each level to blend in with the surrounding green environment.
Rain that falls on the roof and pavement is collected in underground water tanks, and used as irrigation water for the pitch.
It was built with Japanese wood, which has a lower impact on the environment than imported timber and the timber can be replaced with new wood when it deteriorates with age.
Cool spot
The design looked to address the concerns of the summer heat by creating a structure that would let in the wind.
Layered eaves, like those seen in traditional Japanese pagodas, were built to ‘catch’ the wind and redirect it throughout the stadium to control the heat and humidity for supporters and players.
Location, location, location
It stands on the site of the previous National Stadium, which hosted the 1964 Olympics - the first to be held in Asia.
A rebuild was decided upon as the old stadium’s old capacity was less than 60,000, had no roof and had suffered general wear and tear.
Back in the capital
City played Yokahoma F. Marinos in 2019 at the Nissan Stadium in Yokahoma but will face them for the first time in Tokyo.
We played at the old stadium as part of our post-season tour in 1976, beating the Japan national team 3-0.
Safety first
Located in a local evacuation area in Tokyo, the stadium was designed with a damping structure excellent for earthquake resistance.
The aims of the capacity is to allow the building to be used after a huge earthquake without extensive repair of the building.
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