Seoul: With South Korea’s ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup already secured, head coach Hong Myung-bo said Monday he will make lineup changes to close out the qualification campaign. South Korea will host Kuwait at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. Tuesday to wrap up Group B play in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea already booked their ticket to the World Cup after defeating Iraq 2-0 last Thursday. They lead Group B with 19 points from five wins and four draws, three points ahead of Jordan. While the top spot in the group and an undefeated record are at stake, these hold more significance for pride than any tangible benefits for South Korea’s World Cup chances.
In this context, Hong had already announced Friday, after returning home from Iraq, that his focus will now shift to preparing for the World Cup. He plans to use the Kuwait match to test young and inexperienced players in the national team setting. There are several players in their early- to mid-20s with only a few caps to their credit, and with no pressure on the team record-wise, Tuesday’s match is an opportunity for lineup experimentation.
“We’re going to maintain our basic tactical framework, since we haven’t had much time to train and some new players have come in,” Hong said at his prematch press conference at Seoul World Cup Stadium. “For tomorrow, I want to test some new players in different positions without changing too much of our framework. But if situations call for it, we may even try a few things during the match.”
One potential change could see captain Son Heung-min return to the lineup. He was absent from the squad against Iraq due to a nagging foot injury. “He should be able to play tomorrow,” Hong stated. “But I will talk with him after our training session this evening to determine how much he can play. We will make that decision tomorrow.”
Following the qualifiers, South Korea will participate in the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship as the host country in July, followed by friendlies against the United States and Mexico, two of the three co-hosts of the World Cup alongside Canada, in September. Additional international match windows in October, November, and March will precede the World Cup.
During this preparation period, Hong aims to develop “a manual that can help the team grow in every aspect over a short period of time.” He emphasized that September, October, and November will be critical for adapting to World Cup conditions and mentioned potential administrative changes for the national team, though he did not elaborate.
This marks Hong’s second stint as the national team boss. Reflecting on his previous tenure leading up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he noted the differences in circumstances. “Back then, I spent most of that one remaining year figuring out players,” he said. “This time, I mostly have clear ideas on players, and I will be able to work on other aspects of our preparation.”