Hong Myung-bo's team finishes 34th in World Cup, worst-ever result; President Lee blames organization and personnel failures

South Korea's national football team has suffered its worst World Cup performance, finishing 34th overall and failing to advance to the knockout stage of the 2026 North America World Cup. After concluding the group stage on June 28, the team ranked 10th among the 12 third-placed teams, missing the cut for the top eight spots that qualify for the Round of 32. This marks the first time since the 2018 Russia World Cup that South Korea has been eliminated in the group stage.

The team's goal was to reach the quarterfinals, a target that seemed achievable with the expanded 48-team format and a favorable group draw including Mexico, Czech Republic, and South Africa. Key players from top European leagues, such as Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae, were available, and there were no significant injury concerns. The team also benefited from extensive preparation, including acclimatization training in Utah to prepare for the high altitude in Guadalajara.

Despite these advantages, South Korea's campaign faltered. After an initial 2-1 victory against the Czech Republic, they lost 0-1 to Mexico. A draw against South Africa in their final group match would have secured a second-place finish and a spot in the next round, but they succumbed to a 0-1 defeat in what was described as a poor performance. This result placed them 34th in the final World Cup standings, surpassing their previous lowest ranking of 30th in the 1998 France World Cup.

Following the elimination, coach Hong Myung-bo is expected to resign. President Lee commented on the team's failure via X (formerly Twitter), stating, "This World Cup qualification failure, which has left the public disheartened, appears to be due to organizational and personnel failures." He urged the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to conduct a thorough analysis of the situation, identify the causes, and develop measures for prevention and improvement, given the significant public funds and national resources invested in the team's participation.

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This World Cup qualification failure, which has left the public disheartened, appears to be due to organizational and personnel failures.