▲ Promotional image for the '2026 K League PlayONE Overseas Cultural Program'
The '2026 K League PlayONE Overseas Cultural Program,' where individuals with and without developmental disabilities unite through football, will take place in and around Tokyo, Japan, for four days and three nights from November 2 to 5.
Organized by the K League Assist foundation and supported by Hana Financial Group and the Community Chest of Korea, a total of 21 players—consisting of 11 players with developmental disabilities and 10 players without—will participate in the program.
The participants belong to unified football teams from K League clubs. The players without disabilities were selected through an open recruitment by Hana Financial Group, while the players with developmental disabilities were chosen through internal selections by each team.
This program was designed to enhance the independence of individuals with developmental disabilities and support their social growth through overseas sports and cultural experiences and exchanges.
On the first day of the program, participants will meet the K League 1 Daejeon Hana Citizen squad to deliver messages of support, take commemorative photos, and spend time interacting.
On the second day, a 'PlayONE Clinic' will be held with defender Cho Yu-min, a former K League player currently playing for Tokyo Verdy in Japan's J1 League.
Participants will also play a unified football exchange match with local players with developmental disabilities affiliated with the Japanese Federation of Football Intellectual Disability (JFFID).
Following this, they will watch the 2026-2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) match between Kashiwa Reysol and Daejeon in person.
On the third day, they are scheduled to visit the Japan National Stadium 'MUFG Stadium' for a stadium tour and cultural experience.
(Photo provided by K League, Yonhap News)
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