ATEEZ’s SAN Takes Ceremonial Kick-Off at Football Match and Shows Off the Viral “BAD” Challenge
ATEEZ’s SAN made a special appearance at the 2026 Coupang Play Series match between Manchester City and Atlético Madrid in Seoul.
The ATEEZ member took part in the ceremonial kick-off at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 9, 2026, adding a K-pop moment to the international football event.
SAN Takes the Ceremonial Kick-Off
SAN was invited to participate in the ceremonial kick-off for the Manchester City vs. Atlético Madrid match, which was held at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
The match was part of the 2026 Coupang Play Series, a football event held in South Korea featuring major European clubs.
SAN also shared a message of support for Lee Kang-in, who was set to make his debut for Atlético Madrid during the Seoul match.
The Match in Seoul
Manchester City and Atlético Madrid faced each other on August 9, 2026, at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Manchester City won the match 3–1, with Omar Marmoush scoring twice and Rayan Aït-Nouri adding another goal for City. Atlético Madrid's goal came from Julio Díaz.
The match also marked a notable occasion for Korean football fans as Lee Kang-in joined Atlético Madrid for the club's Seoul appearance.
SAN’s Viral “BAD” Performance
SAN's appearance came shortly after his performance for ATEEZ's title track “BAD” had gained significant attention online.
“BAD” is the title track from ATEEZ's 14th mini album, GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5, released on June 26, 2026.
A particular section of the choreography featuring SAN became widely shared across TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and other social platforms. Korean media reported that the performance quickly spread beyond ATEEZ's existing fanbase.
The choreography for the highlighted section was created by SAN together with ATEEZ's performance crew BBTrippin and choreographer Lee Jung.
“BAD” Challenge Continues to Spread
Following the song's release, SAN participated in multiple “BAD” Challenge videos with other celebrities and artists.
Among them were EXO's Kai, TWICE's Momo, and actor Lee Sang Yi, who each joined SAN for their own versions of the challenge.
His appearance at the football match therefore came during a period when the “BAD” choreography was already receiving considerable attention online.
Final Thoughts
ATEEZ's SAN took part in the ceremonial kick-off for the Manchester City vs. Atlético Madrid match at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 9, 2026.
The appearance brought together K-pop and international football, while SAN's viral “BAD” choreography continued to attract attention following ATEEZ's latest comeback.