The FIFA World Cup 2026™, the first to feature 48 nations, will be Korea Republic’s 12th appearance at the finals and their 11th consecutive participation since 1986.
The team is currently led by Hong Myungbo, who throughout the course of his career has experienced the tournament as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. At Qatar 2022, Korea Republic advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in 12 years, but their campaign ended with a defeat to Brazil.
Korea Republic head coach: Hong Myungbo
Hong returned to the national team in July 2024, succeeding Jurgen Klinsmann and marking his comeback as head coach after ten years. As a coach, Hong took Korea Republic to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup™ in 2009, a historic bronze medal in the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament at London 2012, and then to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, though they exited in the group stage.
Following that, Hong managed Hangzhou Greentown in China PR, served as Executive Director of the Korea Football Association, and later took charge of Ulsan HD. There, he ended the club’s 16-year title drought, winning back-to-back K League 1 championships in 2022 and 2023. Though he fell short of the AFC Champions League title, his consistent results helped Ulsan secure qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
Korea Republic’s World Cup 26 fixtures and group
As the draw has yet to take place, Korea Republic’s World Cup 26 schedule has not been determined. The Draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place on 6 December 2025 at 01:00(KST) at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., USA.
How Korea Republic qualified for the World Cup 26
Despite two head coaching changes after Qatar 2022, Korea Republic advanced comfortably through the Asian qualifiers, remaining unbeaten throughout. In the second round, they were drawn into a group with China PR, Thailand and Singapore, winning every match bar a single 1-1 draw with Thailand. In the final round, Korea Republic faced Jordan, Iraq, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait in Group B. With six wins and four draws, they topped the group to seal their place at the finals. Korea Republic were the only team to qualify without a single defeat in Asia.
Korea Republic’s World Cup history
Korea Republic’s best World Cups
Korea Republic’s finest hour came on home soil in the 2002 World Cup where the team reached the semi-finals. After securing a thrilling 2-0 victory over Poland in their opening match in front of their home fans, they drew 1-1 with the USA and beat Portugal 1-0 to advance to the Round of 16.
There, Ahn Junghwan missed a first-half penalty but redeemed himself with a golden goal winner against Italy in extra time, securing a 2-1 comeback victory. Korea Republic then eliminated Spain on penalties in the quarter-finals before falling 1-0 to Germany in the semi-finals. A 3-2 loss to Türkiye in the third-place match sealed a historic fourth place finish.
Korea Republic’s last World Cup
At Qatar 2022, Korea appointed Paulo Bento, a former Portuguese midfielder who faced them during the 2002 World Cup, as head coach. They opened with a 0-0 draw against Uruguay, lost 3-2 to Ghana, but then produced a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Portugal in their final group match, securing passage to the Round of 16. However, that is where their campaign ended, as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to powerhouse Brazil.
Korea Republic’s first World Cup
Korea Republic debuted at the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland, under extraordinary circumstances. At the time, it was less than one year after the Korean War, and Korea Republic were in dire straits. There were not enough seats on the plane for all the players, so some were flown separately in U.S. military transport aircraft, arriving after a gruelling 60-hour journey. Against eventual runners-up Hungary, Korea Republic suffered a crushing 9-0 defeat in their opening match, finishing with only seven players due to exhaustion and cramps. A second heavy defeat, 7-0 against Türkiye, ended their campaign.
Korea Republic’s World Cup top scorer
Korea Republic’s leading scorers on the World Cup stage are Ahn Junghwan and Son Heungmin, each with three goals to their name. Ahn made his mark in 2002 with a crucial late equaliser against the USA and a golden goal that stunned Italy in the round of 16, before adding another decisive second-half comeback strike, securing a 2-1 victory against Togo at Germany 2006.
Son opened his World Cup account with a consolation goal in a 4-2 defeat against Algeria at Brazil 2014. Then, just before the final whistle in the second group stage match, he struck gold with a spectacular long-range effort against Mexico at Russia 2018. He then sealed Korea Republic’s unforgettable 2-0 victory over defending champions Germany in that same tournament, racing clear to slot home after Kim Younggwon’s opener just before the final whistle.
Korea Republic’s record World Cup appearance maker
In terms of appearances, no player has featured more often for Korea Republic at the finals than current head coach Hong, who played 16 matches across four tournaments from 1990 to 2002. He played a particularly pivotal role as captain for the historic 2002 squad, from which he was awarded the adidas Bronze Ball for his outstanding performance. He is followed by Park Jisung with 14 appearances, Lee Youngpyo with 12, and both Lee Woonjae and Kim Namil with 11. Son, who has already featured ten times at the World Cup, could even surpass Hong’s long-standing record depending on Korea’s progress in 2026.
Korea Republic’s memorable World Cup Moments
Despite boasting nearly 50 years of World Cup participation history, Korea Republic had never secured a single victory on the tournament’s main stage until their breakthrough in 2002 with a 2-0 win over Poland, thanks to goals from Hwang Sunhong and the late Yoo Sangchul. That triumph sparked an unforgettable run to the semi-finals, which current head coach Hong still cites as the game that remains his most vivid memory.
Eight years later, at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Korea Republic proved they could shine away from home soil by reaching the round of 16 at an overseas tournament for the very first time. A 2-0 opening win over Greece, with Lee Jungsoo and Park Jisung on the scoresheet, set the tone, and although they were beaten by Argentina 4-1, a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Nigeria sealed their place in the round of 16. Reflecting on that campaign, legendary full-back Lee Youngpyo described it as a turning point. “To break the perception that Korea could only succeed at home, reaching the round of 16 abroad was essential.”
Korea Republic’s biggest World Cup wins
Korea Republic’s biggest World Cup wins all come by a margin of two goals, their first arriving in 2002 over Poland, followed by Greece at South Africa 2010. Perhaps most famously, at Russia 2018, Korea Republic delivered one of the great shocks of the tournament by defeating defending champions Germany 2-0, with Kim Younggwon and Son Heungmin netting stoppage-time clinchers.
