Korean men’s soccer team, which aims to advance to the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time, has been grouped with Middle Eastern countries in the Asian region qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup. It avoided “death squad” but feels burdened by away matches in the Middle East.
South Korea was drawn in Group B along with Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait as a result of the draw for the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 North-Central America World Cup held at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 27th (Korea time).
A total of 18 countries will be divided into three groups of six countries, and the first and second place in each group will go directly to the World Cup finals in the second round of Asian qualifiers for the World Cup.
South Korea, ranked 22nd in the FIFA rankings announced on the 10th, was the last to be called in the draw on the day, as it was among the top seeds along with Japan (17th) and Iran (20th).
Korea fortunately escaped the worst case scenario, avoiding Group C, which Japan called.
Group C includes Australia, one of Korea’s biggest rivals, China, which plays rough with traditional Middle Eastern powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, led by head coach Shin Tae-yong.
Group A, where Iran was called, was also formidable.
Group A includes Qatar, which boasts its second consecutive AFC Asian Cup title, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by head coach Paulo Bento, and North Korea, which is bound to be strained by issues outside the game.
It is clear that Korean soccer is evaluated as superior to Group B countries in terms of power. However, it cannot be said that an easy game is expected.
Iraq (55th) is considered weaker than Australia and Qatar, but it met in Group A with Korea during the final Asian qualifying round for the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup and drew at home.
Jordan (68th) is also an opponent that cannot be complacent. Korea lost 0-2 to Jordan in the semifinals during the 2023 AFC Qatar Asian Cup. 토토사이트
Oman (ranked 76th) beat South Korea 3-1 during the final qualifying round for the 2003 AFC China Asian Cup, marking the biggest black history in Korean soccer history, Oman Shock.
The five countries assigned together are all Middle Eastern countries, and the burden of away matches is inevitably high. Bed soccer, unique to Middle Eastern countries, is also a source of anxiety.
Han Joon-hee, a soccer commentator, also told Newsis on the same day, “It’s definitely better than Group C and better than Group A, but Group B is by no means an easy group either.”
“Although it is not the same name value as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Australia, Iraq and Jordan are also strong opponents who have recently been on the rise, building their own golden generation,” he said. “The key to the third qualifying round is how many points we lose in the Middle East away.”
“The showdown with these two teams is the most important,” he said, “At the same time, we should not unexpectedly be held back in Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait.”
He avoided the death group, but what unfolded in front of the Korean national team is more of a thorny path than a flower path.
Korean soccer has not even been able to find the head coach of the national team for four months since the replacement of head coach Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) in February.
The Korea Football Association told Newsis that it is in the process of appointing the official head coach of the men’s national soccer team with the aim of next week.
The third qualifying round will begin in early September.
The new coach, who will take the helm of the Korean national team, will have a heavy task of not only identifying our players but also analyzing the countries in Group B in the third qualifying round in a short time of about two months.
