Korea Republic at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Squad, Manager, Fixtures & Tournament History

Korea Republic are heading to the FIFA World Cup™ for the twelfth time — and for the eleventh consecutive edition since 1986, a run of sustained qualification that speaks to the deep roots football has planted across the country. They arrive at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Canada, Mexico and the United States as the only Asian side to go through qualifying without a single defeat, carrying momentum and a settled sense of purpose.

Their World Cup story is one of the sport's most compelling. From a debut under extraordinary circumstances in 1954, through decades of group-stage exits, to the miracle of 2002 — when they reached the semi-finals on home soil and changed the way the world looked at Asian football — Korea Republic have written chapters that endure. At Qatar 2022, they reminded everyone they still belong, coming from behind to beat Portugal and advance to the round of 16. The goal in North America is to go further still.

The Coach: Hong Myungbo

Few figures in Korean football carry the weight of history that Hong does. He experienced the 2002 World Cup as captain, lifting the adidas Bronze Ball for his performances as the team reached the semi-finals. He has since lived the tournament as an assistant coach and a head coach — and now returns to lead the national side for a second time, having succeeded Jürgen Klinsmann in July 2024.

His coaching record is impressive across formats and competitions. He guided Korea Republic's Under-20 side to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009, delivered a historic bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics, and took the senior team to Brazil 2014 — a group-stage exit that did not define a career built on far more than one difficult campaign. At club level, he ended Ulsan HD's 16-year wait for a league title, winning back-to-back K League 1 championships in 2022 and 2023. He knows what winning looks like — and he knows what this tournament means.

Korea Republic's 2026 World Cup Fixtures & Group

11 June: Korea Republic v Czechia/Denmark/North Macedonia/Republic of Ireland – Estadio Guadalajara

18 June: Mexico v Korea Republic – Estadio Guadalajara

24 June: South Africa v Korea Republic – Estadio Monterrey

How Korea Republic Qualified

Korea Republic navigated the AFC qualifying process with authority, remaining unbeaten across every round — the only team in Asia to do so. In the second round, they won every match bar a 1-1 draw with Thailand in a group that also included China PR and Singapore. In the final round, drawn in Group B alongside Jordan, Iraq, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait, they collected six wins and four draws to top the group and confirm their place at the finals with a clean qualifying record intact.

Korea Republic's World Cup Record

Confederation: AFC

Best Finish: Fourth place (2002)

Last Appearance: Qatar 2022 (Round of 16)

First Appearance: Switzerland 1954 (Group stage)

Total Appearances: 12 (1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)

Current run of successive qualifications: 11 (since 1986)

Hosted the World Cup: 2002 (Korea/Japan)

Overall Record: P18 W7 D10 L21 F39 A78

Korea Republic's Best World Cup: Korea/Japan 2002

Korea Republic's finest hour remains one of the most extraordinary stories the World Cup has ever produced. Hosting the tournament alongside Japan, they opened with a thrilling 2-0 win over Poland in front of their own supporters, drew 1-1 with the USA, and beat Portugal 1-0 to advance from the group.

What followed was the stuff of legend. In the round of 16, Ahn Junghwan missed a first-half penalty against Italy before redeeming himself with a golden goal in extra time to complete a 2-1 comeback. Spain were eliminated on penalties in the quarter-finals. Only Germany, in the semi-finals, proved a step too far — a 1-0 defeat followed by a 3-2 loss to Türkiye in the third-place match sealed a fourth-place finish that remains the greatest achievement in the history of Asian football at a World Cup. Current head coach Hong captained the side throughout, and still cites the opening win over Poland as his most vivid memory from a remarkable campaign.

Korea Republic's Last World Cup: Qatar 2022

Under Portuguese coach Paulo Bento — himself a veteran of the 2002 World Cup as a player — Korea Republic's campaign in Qatar had all the hallmarks of their most memorable runs: resilience, drama and a late show when it mattered most.

An opening 0-0 draw with Uruguay and a 3-2 defeat to Ghana left their progression in the balance. Then, needing a win against Portugal in the final group match, they delivered one — a 2-1 comeback victory sealed in stoppage time that sent them through to the round of 16. Brazil proved too powerful in the next round, a 4-1 defeat ending their tournament, but the manner of their qualification was a reminder that Korea Republic remain capable of producing the extraordinary.

Korea Republic's First World Cup: Switzerland 1954

Korea Republic's debut at the World Cup came under circumstances unlike any other. Less than a year after the end of the Korean War, with the country still rebuilding, the squad travelled to Switzerland in fragments — some players unable to secure seats on the same flight, others arriving after a gruelling 60-hour journey on US military transport aircraft. Against eventual runners-up Hungary, they suffered a 9-0 defeat, finishing the match with just seven players after exhaustion and cramps took their toll. A 7-0 defeat to Türkiye ended the campaign. The conditions alone made simply being there an act of determination.

Korea Republic's All-Time World Cup Top Scorers

Ahn Junghwan and Son Heungmin share the record as Korea Republic's leading World Cup scorers with three goals each. Ahn made his mark in 2002 with a late equaliser against the USA, the iconic golden goal against Italy in the round of 16, and a decisive strike against Togo at Germany 2006. Son opened his account with a consolation goal against Algeria at Brazil 2014 before producing two of the tournament's defining moments at Russia 2018 — a stunning long-range effort against Mexico and a last-gasp finish that sealed a famous 2-0 win over defending champions Germany. Son, already with ten World Cup appearances to his name, could yet surpass Hong's all-time appearance record of 16 depending on how far Korea go in 2026.

Korea Republic's Most Capped World Cup Player

Hong holds the record with 16 appearances across four tournaments from 1990 to 2002 — a tally that now takes on extra resonance given that he stands in the dugout as head coach. He is followed by Park Jisung with 14 appearances, Lee Youngpyo with 12, and Lee Woonjae and Kim Namil with 11 each.

Korea Republic's Most Memorable World Cup Moments

For all their decades of participation, Korea Republic had never won a match on the World Cup's main stage until 2002 — when Hwang Sunhong and Yoo Sangchul scored in a 2-0 opening win over Poland that lit the fuse for the most extraordinary run in Asian football history.

Eight years later, at South Africa 2010, they demonstrated that 2002 was not simply a product of home advantage. Reaching the round of 16 at an overseas tournament for the very first time — wins over Greece and Nigeria doing the work — was a statement about the evolution of Korean football. As Lee Youngpyo reflected afterwards: "To break the perception that Korea could only succeed at home, reaching the round of 16 abroad was essential."