Tragedy-hit Brazilian club Chapecoense will play in the annual Suruga Bank Championship against J. League Cup winners Urawa Reds next August, the Japan Football Association announced Friday.
Members of Chapecoense, including the coach and four players who previously had stints in Japan, were involved in an air crash on Nov. 28 while traveling to the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional in Medellin, Colombia.
Chapecoense was crowned tournament champion after Nacional asked the South American confederation to award its rival the trophy. Which means the Brazilian team will travel to Urawa's Saitama Stadium for the annual match pitting the Copa Sudamericana champion against the J. League Cup winner.
"Chapecoense will play the game with a new setup, and will take on the great achievements of the deceased players," CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez told a news conference.
JFA president Kozo Tashima said, "We would like to think about what's the maximum support we can offer as the Japanese soccer society as a whole."
Dominguez revealed Chapecoense will take part in Copa Libertadores, next season's South American top continental club tournament, starting in January.