Celtic is third club to cancel preseason Korea tour

Oh Hyeon-gyu [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Scottish domestic treble winners Celtic FC officially confirmed the cancelation of their planned preseason tour to Korea Tuesday after local promoters failed to meet “numerous financial and logistical operations.”

“It is with deep regret that Celtic Football Club has been forced to withdraw from our match in South Korea,” the club announced in a statement Tuesday. “The Hoops were originally due to play English Premier League side, Wolves, later this month, but numerous financial and logistical operations were not met by the tour promoter, and after weeks of delays, the Club has taken the difficult decision to terminate the contract and pull out of the tour.

“The Club and the players were excited about visiting South Korea and giving our fans the opportunity to see the team, but unfortunately, due to factors entirely outwith our control, we have been left with no other option than to withdraw from the match.”

Celtic had been set to travel to Korea as part of the Korea Tour 2023, a new preseason exhibition series organized by Stadium X and Untouchable Sport Group, alongside Wolves and Serie A club Roma.

Wolves were first to pull the plug, announcing last Thursday that they were being forced to withdraw after Stadium X and USG failed to meet their financial commitments. Roma followed a few days later.

The promoters denied that they had any financial difficulties or that they had failed to meet payment schedules, maintaining that everything was still preceding as planned and that they would still be able to organize a Celtic vs. Incheon game.

That final fixture has now also fallen through with Celtic’s withdrawal, leaving the Korea Tour dead in the water.

Stadium X and USG were also behind the abortive attempt to get Serie A winners Napoli and Mallorca to play an exhibition game in Korea in June, with financial issues again stated as the reason for the failure.

With the collapse of the Korea Tour, the number of international clubs visiting Korea this summer has fallen from a possible seven to just two: Champions League winners Manchester City and Atletico Madrid will visit in the last week of July to take part in the Coupang Play Series.

Celtic, complete with Korean midfielder Oh Hyeon-gyu, will still head to Asia this summer, playing two games in Japan at the end of July. Roma also have preexisting Asia commitments, taking them to Singapore to take on Tottenham on July 26.

Wolves, home of Korean midfielder Hwang Hee-chan, have yet to confirm a new preseason schedule, but are expected to look for opportunities somewhere in Europe.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]