South Korea eyes undefeated streak in World Cup qualifiers

South Korea aims to finish World Cup qualifying unbeaten for the first time in 16 years, after securing a spot in the finals for the 11th straight tournament. South Korea, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Kuwait at 8 p.m. on June 10 at Seoul World Cup Stadium in their final Group B match of the Asian third-round qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

South Korea defeated Iraq 2-0 on June 6 to reach 19 points with five wins and four draws, securing a top-two finish in Group B and a direct berth to the finals. With one match remaining, they hold a seven-point lead over third-place Iraq, which has 12 points.

Even a draw against Kuwait will guarantee South Korea finishes atop the group. As of June 9, Jordan is second with 16 points. Including the second-round qualifiers, where it went 5-1, South Korea is on a 15-match unbeaten streak (10 wins, 5 draws). The last time the team went undefeated in World Cup qualifying was in June 2009, during the campaign for the 2010 South Africa tournament, when it recorded seven wins and seven draws across the final two rounds.

Kuwait, winless in the third round with five draws and four losses, is already locked into last place in the group. Coach Hong plans to give playing time to younger players born after 2000. “I want to test the potential of these young players,” he said. Among the key prospects are forward Oh Hyun-kyu, 24, who has scored all three of his goals as a substitute in seven matches, and midfielder Bae Jun-ho, 22, of Stoke City, who has one goal and two assists.

The Red Devils, South Korea’s national team supporters group, will organize a coordinated card display with fans during the match against Kuwait. The cards will form the phrase “WE 대한” (“Daehan” being a shorthand for Korea), representing the shared accomplishment of players and fans in qualifying for the World Cup finals for the 11th straight time


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com