South Korea At FIFA World Cup 2026: Full Squad, Group A Fixtures And Everything You Need To Know
Son Heung-min at his fourth and likely final World Cup. A squad with more European depth than any Korean team before it. And all three group games in Mexico, where the home crowd will not be cheering for them.
South Korea are at the World Cup for the 12th time and the 11th consecutive occasion, a streak stretching back to 1986 that is the longest unbroken run in Asian football history. Their greatest moment came on home soil in 2002, when they reached the semi-finals and finished fourth. In Qatar, they returned to the knockout rounds before falling to Brazil in the last 16. Coach Hong Myung-bo, a captain of that 2002 side and the first Asian player to appear at four consecutive World Cups, is back for a second spell in charge and targeting another deep run.
The Full Squad
Hong Myung-bo announced his 26-man squad on May 16. Son Heung-min, now at LAFC in MLS, captains the side at what is expected to be his fourth and final World Cup. Kim Min-jae anchors a defence built on European club experience. Lee Kang-in of PSG is the most creative midfield option.
Goalkeepers: Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan HD), Kim Seung-gyu, Lee Chang-geun.Â
Defenders: Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Kim Tae-hyun, Park Jin-seop, Lee Ki-hyeok, Jo Yu-min, Lee Han-beom, Kim Moon-hwan, Seol Young-woo, Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lee Tae-seok.Â
Midfielders: Lee Kang-in (PSG), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Paik Seung-ho, Lee Dong-gyeong, Lee Jae-sung, Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Um Ji-sung.Â
Forwards: Son Heung-min (LAFC), Oh Hyun-kyu, Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland), Lee Seung-won.
Six domestic-based players were included. Jens Castrop, 22, is the youngest outfield player and the first dual-heritage player in Korean World Cup history after switching allegiance from Germany.
Key Players, Fixtures and What to Expect
Son scored twice in South Korea's 5-0 warm-up win over Trinidad and Tobago last Sunday and arrived at the tournament in form. Cho Gue-sung, who scored twice in the same match, gives Hong a physical striker option to complement Son's creativity. Kim Min-jae is the defensive cornerstone.
South Korea face Czechia in Guadalajara on June 11, Mexico in Guadalajara on June 18, and South Africa in Monterrey on June 24. All three group games are in Mexico. Hong's primary target is reaching the knockout stage. What happened in 2002 is the reason the whole country believes something bigger is possible.