South Korea travels to North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer, aiming to recapture the spirit of their greatest tournament performance and push deep into the knockout rounds once again.
Hong Myung-bo’s side secured their place at the tournament in dominant fashion, topping Group C of the AFC qualifiers with five wins and one draw from six games — accumulating 16 points without a single defeat — finishing ahead of nations including China, Thailand, and Singapore.
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This marks South Korea’s 11th consecutive appearance at the World Cup, a remarkable streak dating back to 1986. South Korea’s finest hour remains the 2002 tournament, co-hosted on home soil, where they reached the semi-finals and finished fourth — a historic achievement unmatched in Asian football.
More recently, they returned to the knockout rounds at Qatar 2022 before being eliminated by Brazil in the last 16.
Hong and his squad will be targeting another deep run, with the coach stating that their primary aim is to advance beyond the group stage and see what unfolds from there.
South Korea have been drawn in Group A at the tournament, where Mexico, South Africa and Czechia await in opposition.
South Korea 2026 World Cup fixtures
- Friday, June 12 — South Korea vs Czechia — Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Friday, June 19 — Mexico vs South Korea — Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Thursday, June 25 — South Africa vs South Korea — Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico
What time do South Korea’s World Cup games kick off?
All kick-off times are BST.
- South Korea vs Czechia, 3am
- Mexico vs South Korea, 2am
- South Africa vs South Korea, 2am
2026 FIFA World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Jo Hyun-Woo (Ulsan HD), Kim Seung-Gyu (FC Tokyo), Song Bum-Keun (Jeonbuk Hyundai)
Defenders: Kim Min-Jae (Bayern Munich), Jo Yu-Min (Sharjah), Lee Han-Beom (Midtjylland), Kim Tae-Hyun (Kashima Antlers), Park Jin-Seop (Zhejiang FC), Lee Ki-Hyeok (Gangwon FC), Lee Tae-Seok (Austria Vienna), Seol Young-Woo (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Kim Moon-Hwan (Daejeon Hana)
Midfielders: Yang Hyun-Jun (Celtic), Paik Seung-Ho (Birmingham City), Hwang In-Beom (Feyenoord), Kim Jin-Kyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai), Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City), Um Ji-Sung (Swansea City), Hwang Hee-Chan (Wolverhampton), Lee Dong-Gyeong (Ulsan HD), Lee Jae-Sung (Mainz), Lee Kang-In (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Oh Hyun-Kyu (Besiktas), Son Heung-Min (LAFC), Cho Kyu-Sung (Midtjylland)
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