March 31 – Liverpool will tour Asia for their pre-season, with marquee fixtures in Hong Kong and Japan. The Reds have not qualified for the Club World Cup and aren’t in the Premier League’s Summer Series, both of which are in the US this summer.
The centrepiece of the tour will be a clash with AC Milan at the brand-new Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, marking the first football fixture at the state-of-the-art 50,000-seat venue. The stadium is the flagship of the HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) project, which is set to transform Hong Kong into a leading destination for international sports and entertainment.
KTSP has already secured major corporate backing, with global hotel group Marriott Bonvoy recently unveiled as the venue’s exclusive Founding Hotel Partner. The multi-year deal follows HSBC’s appointment as Premier Founding Partner in January, underscoring the financial enthusiasm behind the development. Both partnerships fall under the ‘Championing Hong Kong’ initiative, designed to position the city as a global hub for sports, culture, and tourism — which looks to have taken its next step in style.
The stadium officially opened with Hong Kong’s flagship Rugby Sevens tournament last week.
Liverpool previously visited Hong Kong in 2017 and played in Singapore last year. The tour will conclude in Japan, with match details still to be confirmed.
Ben Latty, Liverpool’s chief commercial officer said: “We’re very grateful to our principal partner, Standard Chartered, for their support in sponsoring the Standard Chartered Trophy against AC Milan, 20 years on from that magical night in Istanbul.
“It’s a great honour for us to enjoy the award-winning and first-rate hospitality of Japan Airlines, our official airline partner, to fly us in comfort and ensure our pre-season tour starts and ends in the best way possible.”
While in Asia, Liverpool will also participate in local community projects and cultural activities as well as host supporter events with club legends.
Mary Huen, CEO of Standard Chartered Hong Kong, said: “As the main club partner of Liverpool Football Club and the main sponsor of the Standard Chartered Trophy – Hong Kong, we are thrilled to bring the Reds back to Asia this July.
“At Standard Chartered, partnerships are in our DNA. We are therefore delighted to present this event with our long-term partner Liverpool FC – one of the world’s most successful football clubs – in our bank’s hugely important market, Hong Kong.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1745477816labto1745477816ofdlr1745477816owedi1745477816sni@g1745477816niwe.1745477816yrrah1745477816