The South Korea World Cup 2026 squad has been named ahead of an 11th consecutive competition.
In qualifying for World Cup 2026, the Taegeuk Warriors were unbeaten with six wins and four draws – and though they won't be favourites in North America this summer, they have one of the more experienced squads in the tournament.
All-time record appearance-maker and talismanic captain Son Heung-min heads to the tournament knowing the climate well as a Major League Soccer player: he needs just four more goals to equal Cha Bum-kun's goal record, and could do so this summer.
Son is just one of a handful of huge figures from this side, though, with 35-year-old Kim Seung-gyu in goal, Bayern Munich stalwart Kin Min-jae leading the backline, and midfielder Lee Jae-sung having turned 33 and reached 100 caps, too.
Aside from Son's excellence in attack, Hwang Hee-chan will be recognisable to Premier League audiences, and Lee Kang-in is a dangerous forward: they're underdogs for sure, but there's no reason they can't turn back the clock and spring a shock on the world.
South Korea have surprised us all before, after all: 2002 was the adventure of a lifetime, when the co-hosts got all the way to the semi-finals (though with some controversial decisions along the way).
Now led by a legend of that side, Hong Myung-bo, back for a second shot as boss, this team will be looking to get out of a group with no obvious superstar side and see if how far they go this time.
Squad
South Korea World Cup 2026 squad: The final selection
- GK: Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo)
- GK: Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan HD)
- GK: Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
- DF: Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich)
- DF: Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon Hana Citizen)
- DF: Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade)
- DF: Cho Yu-min (Sharjah)
- DF: Lee Tae-seok (Austria Wien)
- DF: Park Jin-seob (Zhejiang FC)
- DF: Kim Tae-hyeon (Kashima Antlers)
- DF: Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland)
- DF: Jens Castrop (Borussia Monchengladbach)
- DF: Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC)
- MF: Lee Jae-sung (Mainz 05)
- MF: Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
- MF: Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord)
- MF: Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain)
- MF: Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham City)
- MF: Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
- MF: Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan HD)
- MF: Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City)
- MF: Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City)
- MF: Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic)
- FW: Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC)
- FW: Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland)
- FW: Oh Hyeon-gyu (Besiktas)
Fixtures and results
Fixtures
- June 12, 2026: South Korea vs Czechia, Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico
- June 19, 2026: Mexico vs South Korea, Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico
- June 24, 2026: South Africa vs South Korea, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico
Recent results
- March 31, 2026: Austria 1-0 South Korea, Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria
- March 28, 2026: South Korea 0-4 Ivory Coast, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
- November 18, 2025: South Korea 1-0 Ghana, Jeju World Cup Stadium, Seogwipo, South Korea
- November 14, 2025: South Korea 2-0 Bolivia, Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South Korea
- October 14, 2025: South Korea 2-0 Paraguay, Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon, South Korea
- October 10, 2025: South Korea 0-5 Brazil, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
- September 09, 2025: Mexico 1-1 South Korea, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United States
- September 06, 2025: United States 0-2 South Korea, Soldier Field, Chicago, United States
- July 15, 2025: South Korea 0-1 Japan, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
- July 11, 2025: Hong Kong 0-2 South Korea, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
- July 07, 2025: South Korea 3-0 China, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
- June 10, 2025: South Korea 4-0 Kuwait, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
- June 05, 2025: Iraq 0-2 South Korea, Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq
- March 25, 2025: South Korea 1-1 Jordan, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
- March 20, 2025: South Korea 1-1 Oman, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea
Manager
Who is South Korea's manager?
Hong Myung-bo comes with some serious pedigree. he became the first Asian player ever to appear in four consecutive World Cups, playing in 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002.
In 2002, his final World Cup, he was captain on home soil as South Korea reached the semi-finals, eventually finishing fourth. He was named the third best player of the tournament, the first Asian to be named amongst the top players of a World Cup.
Pele, yes the Pele, named him in his FIFA 100, a list of the 125 best living players in 2004. (Yes, we know it doesn't quite add up, but we'll let it slide, it's Pele. Pele!)
Hong had a previous spell in charge of the national team, and unsuccessful campaign in the 2014 World Cup. His second spell has been more successful, with South Korea not losing a game in qualifying under his stewardship.
Star player
Who is South Korea's star player?
His last season in England was underwhelming by his standards, but Son Heung-min is undoubtedly South Korea's star man. He is ranked at No.3 in FourFourTwo's list of the best Premier League wingers of all time, and ranked at no.35 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest Premier League players of all time.
Son is the most capped player for the South Korean national team, and is only four goals off being top scorer.
He is now backed by some exciting talents, with Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in playing regularly for Bayern Munich and South Korea respectively. There's a chance they could be a dark horse heading to north America.
