Seoul: South Korean players will have their names written in Hangeul on their uniforms in an upcoming friendly match against Brazil in celebration of their language, the sport's national federation said Friday. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced that the special shirts will be produced to mark Hangeul Day on October 9, with South Korea set to host Brazil at Seoul World Cup Stadium the following day.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the KFA stated that typically, players' names for all FIFA-sanctioned international matches must be written in English. However, the KFA received special permission from the global body for this occasion and developed its own Hangeul font for the event. Discussions are also underway with the Brazil Football Confederation to have Brazilian players' names written in Hangeul for the match.
The KFA expressed hope that this initiative would serve as an opportunity to promote the value of Hangeul as a part of South Korea's cultural heritage. "We are pleased to be able to show the beauty of Hangeul to the rest of the world through football," the KFA stated. In addition to the unique uniforms, the KFA will offer special paper tickets as souvenirs for fans and produce a limited-edition keyboard themed on Hangeul and football as part of its Hangeul Day celebration.
Starting Saturday, Nike, the official uniform partner for the KFA, will release 1,000 limited-edition national team shirts with the names of five players, including Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, available in Hangeul.