NCT are set to perform their upcoming single ‘Universe (Let’s Play Ball)’ for the first time at this year’s Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA).

Earlier today (December 3), Mnet announced that the 23-member would be premiering ‘Universe (Let’s Play Ball)’, the lead single of their forthcoming full-length album ‘Universe’, at this year’s ceremony.  The 2021 MAMA is set to take place on December 11.

‘Universe (Let’s Play Ball)’ will be performed by members Doyoung, Shotaro, Jungwoo, Mark, Xiaojun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin and YangYang, under the NCT U sub-unit. The song will first be released on December 10 at 6pm KST, before the ‘Universe’ album drops in full on December 14.

Aside from the performance of ‘Universe (Let’s Play Ball)’, two of the group’s fixed sub-units – NCT 127 and NCT Dream – were also previously confirmed to be performing at the awards ceremony. Both NCT 127 and NCT Dream are nominated for the categories of Best Male Group and Best Dance Performance (Male Group) for ‘Sticker’ and ‘Hot Sauce’, respectively.

Special appearances from British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and contestants from reality dance competition Street Woman Fighter had also been previously announced, alongside an on-stage reunion from Produce 101 project group Wanna One. The former will be performing a “new version” of his chart-topping single, ‘Bad Habits’, exclusively for the awards show.

Meanwhile, BTS are reportedly unable to attend this year’s Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) ceremony, due to a newly-implemented quarantine order enacted by South Korea that requires all inbound travelers to serve a self-isolation period of 10 days.