Fans flock to Seoul World Cup Stadium to see Atletico Madrid in action

Tens of thousands of football fans had already descended on Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul by 6 p.m. on Thursday, two hours before Atletico Madrid were set to face Team K League in the La Liga club's first-ever game on Korean soil.

Fans gather in the thousands outside Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Thursday ahead of a Coupang Play Series game between Atletico Madrid and Team K League. [JIM BULLEY]

Tens of thousands of football fans had already descended on Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul by 6 p.m. on Thursday, two hours before Atletico Madrid were set to face Team K League in the La Liga club's first-ever game on Korean soil.

With humidity pushing the real-feel temperatures past 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), football fans started gathering both outside the stadium and in the half-empty stands to soak up the atmosphere and get a chance to be the first to catch a glimpse of any action on the pitch.

Atletico are set to kick off the 2023 Coupang Play Series with their opening game against Team K League — an all-star squad compiled specifically for this one game — before taking on Manchester City at the same venue on Sunday.

Fans gather in the thousands outside Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Thursday ahead of a Coupang Play Series game between Atletico Madrid and Team K League. [JIM BULLEY]

The Coupang Play Series, which returns for its second edition this year, will then round off next week when Serie A side Paris Saint-Germain take on K League side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Busan.

Atletico arrived in Korea on Tuesday for the series, with Manchester City set to arrive on Thursday evening. The game against Atletico will be City's only game in Korea.

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