Korea qualifies for 11th straight World Cup finals

Korea has secured a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the sixth country in history and the first from Asia to qualify for the finals 11 consecutive times.

Led by coach Hong Myung-bo, the national team defeated Iraq 2–0 in an away match on Friday in Basra during the ninth match of Group B in the third round of Asian qualifiers. With the win, Korea remained atop the group with 19 points from five wins and four draws, clinching at least second place and an automatic berth in the finals, regardless of the outcome of the final qualifier against Kuwait on June 10 in Seoul.

Eighteen teams in the third round are split into three groups of six, playing 10 home-and-away matches. The top two teams in each group advance directly to the finals, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

This marks Korea’s 11th consecutive qualification since the 1986 tournament in Mexico, a feat not achieved by traditional football powers such as England or France. Only Brazil (22), Germany (18), Argentina and Italy (14 each), and Spain (12) have matched or exceeded the streak. FIFA President Gianni Infantino celebrated the achievement on Instagram, noting that Korea is the first nation outside Europe and South America to qualify for 11 World Cups in a row. Including its appearance in the 1954 tournament, Korea has now qualified 12 times overall.

Of the 16 goals scored by Korea in the third round, six came from substitutes. Oh Hyeon-gyu, who appeared off the bench in seven matches, netted three goals and earned the label of “super sub.” Younger players such as Bae Jun-ho of Stoke City, who added one goal and two assists, have injected new energy and depth into the squad.

Captain Son Heung-min, now preparing for what is likely his final World Cup, played in his first in Brazil in 2014. He will be 34 when the 2026 tournament kicks off next year. So far in the third round, he has registered three goals and three assists, showing no signs of slowing down. If he scores just once more in the finals, Son will become Korea’s all-time leading scorer at the World Cup, surpassing Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan, both of whom also have three goals.

The team returned to Korea on Friday and will wrap up the third round with a home match against Kuwait on Tuesday at Seoul World Cup Stadium. In September, the national team will travel to the U.S. for friendlies against two of the tournament’s host nations: the United States and Mexico. The World Cup group draw is scheduled for December.


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com