Capital A announced that its CEO and AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes personally sent off the South Korean national football team as they departed for Basra, Iraq today, June 2nd.

The team’s departure comes ahead of their crucial upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifier match slated for Friday, June 6th.

A special AirAsia X charter flight, D7256, took off from Incheon International Airport at 11:00 AM local time, carrying the national squad and coaching staff, including head coach Hong Myung-bo, Park Hang-seo, Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), and Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord Rotterdam).

As a staunch supporter, and a lifelong football fan as well as the former owner of Queens Park Rangers, Fernandes offered his personal support and encouragement to the players and coaching staff at the airport.

He stated: “I’ve always believed in empowering people and helping dreams take flight whether through football or helping people travel, connecting them to places just as AirAsia has done for the past 23 years. This is a proud moment not only for Korean football, but for Asia. We stand behind the team and wish them the very best as they carry the hopes of a nation into this World Cup qualifier. I’ll definitely be tuning in for the match.”

Fernandes is well known among Korean football fans for his connection to Park Ji-sung, whom he signed to Queens Park Rangers in 2012 and later appointed as AirAsia’s global ambassador in 2014.

The Korean national team is expected to return to Incheon on June 6th on the same charter flight following the match.