The South Korea national football team — known as the Taeguk Warriors — is the most consistently successful Asian team in FIFA World Cup history. They made their first World Cup appearance in 1954, and since 1986 they have qualified for every tournament, making 2026 their 11th consecutive and 12th overall appearance — a record among Asian nations. South Korea’s most famous World Cup run was in 2002, when they co-hosted the tournament with Japan and reached the semifinals, the best finish ever by an Asian nation. They have also reached the round of 16 in 2010 (South Africa) and 2022 (Qatar).
South Korea secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026 — by finishing in the top two of their Asian qualifying group, including a key 2–0 win over Iraq.
South Korea’s Group — Group A
In the Group Stage of the 2026 tournament, South Korea has been drawn into Group A alongside:
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Mexico (host nation)
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South Africa
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Czech Republic
This sets up a competitive group, with Mexico as host and strong rivals, while South Africa and the Czech Republic pose different tactical challenges. South Korea’s matches in Group A will determine whether they can progress to the knockout stages — something they’ve achieved multiple times in past tournaments.
Group A
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mexico | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 |  South Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 |  South Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 |  Czech Republic | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |