While this visit will comprise of stays in Hong Kong and Seoul – two cities where we’ve enjoyed incredible experiences in the past – our team’s last flight beyond Europe’s eastern extremities actually came in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.
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That week in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in December 2023 proved to be an historic one as we were crowned Champions of the World.
It also capped off 12 months in which we claimed the ‘Big Five’ of the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
Not only that, but because that tournament was the final edition of its previous format before extending to 32 teams, it will forever remain a significant one for historians.
While pre-season tours of Asia are about preparing physically and mentally for the season to come but also experiencing the culture and visiting our many fans across the globe, this stay in Jeddah was business-first.
Pep Guardiola and his players knew the chance for yet more history was in front of them, with some storied clubs from other continents standing in our way.
And with the Blues stuttering somewhat domestically in pursuit of a record fourth Premier League title in a row, it was a chance to get together and recalibrate ahead of the second half of the season.
It would prove pivotal in that regard of course, with City going unbeaten upon our return home in order to do something no side in the history of English football had ever done before – win successive four top-flight titles.
The players were based in a complex complete with all of their needs including food, rest and some entertainment.
The state-of-the-art King Abdullah Sports City stadium would be host for both semi-finals and the final, with City joining at the last four stage in order to play Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds.
We were told beforehand that Urawa would set up defensively, as they had done on their route to AFC Champions League glory.
And they held out for almost the entirety of the first half as City attacked in waves, only for Marius Hoibraten to turn Matheus Nunes’ cross into his own goal on the cusp of half-time.
Mateo Kovacic got his first City goal shortly after the break, latching on to Kyle Walker’s exquisite through ball to finish.
The scoring was then complete just before the hour mark, with Bernardo Silva reacting quickest to a spilled Nunes shot.
Those that had travelled to Saudi Arabia revelled in the occasion, with City now just one win away from the very top of the game – a far cry from the Club many remembered from previous eras.
So, a date with Brazilian giants Fluminense in the final was set. The buildup saw protracted discussion about the differences between the tactics of Pep and Fluminense boss Fernando Diniz, who relies on fluid positioning – asking his players to rotate their roles on the pitch in real time.
There was no doubt they were an aging side however, with several players having featured in Europe earlier in their career before returning home.
The most notable name was former Real Madrid left-back Marcelo, while Felipe Melo and Ganso in particular were also of interest to fans from Europe.
Future Wolves men Andre and Jhon Arias would also start, while 43-year-old goalkeeper Fabio is remarkably still playing.
The start could hardly have been better for City, with Ake latching on to a loose long ball by Marcelo inside the first minute.
He stepped forward before curling an effort from around 25 yards that smashed against the post, only for Julian Alvarez to chest into the net vacated by the diving Fabio.
The Brazilians caused issues for City until the 27th minute, when Foden’s intended pass into the middle was deflected wildly over Fabio’s head and into the far corner.
It was a moment of wild fortune, but City were now well on top.
The Academy graduate had his own moment with 20 minutes to go, sprinting into the goal line to connect with Alvarez’s low drilled cross.
The biggest cheers of the evening amongst the locals came for two stars unable to make their mark on the pitch though, with Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne both shown on the big screen intermittently.
Alvarez, Haaland’s outstanding deputy, completed the rout in the 88th minute by striking low and hard from just inside the box.
The final whistle brought fireworks and a light show befitting of City’s achievement – Big Five winners in the greatest calendar year in the Club’s history.
We’ll return to Asia this summer with fewer prizes immediately on offer, but with the goal of working towards silverware over the subsequent 10 months.
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.
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. Both games begin at 12:00 (UK).
All three will be available to watch on mancity.com and our official app for current CITY+ subscribers globally*.
Available for £34.99 for an annual subscription or £9.99 per month, CITY+ gets you closer to the Club than ever before, with documentaries, live games and full-match replays throughout the season.
*City v Inter: Globally available except China, Italy
K League All-Stars v City: Globally available except South Korea
City v Atletico Madrid: Globally available except South Korea, Spain
