Korea Republic
Coach
Hong Myung-bo
World Cup Appearances
11
Best Finish
Fourth place (2002)
Complete Team Guide
South Korea's World Cup 2026 squad is defined by one story: Son Heung-Min, the nation's all-time top scorer, is now at LAFC in MLS after leaving Tottenham — and this World Cup is being played on his new doorstep. Kim Min-Jae anchors from Bayern, Lee Kang-In creates from PSG, and Jens Castrop continues the proud German-Korean dual-national tradition.
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Road to 2026
Korea Republic secured their place at World Cup 2026 by beating Iraq 2-0 in Basra on 5 June, according to FIFA's official qualified-teams tracker. The result extended one of the longest active qualification streaks in the tournament, confirming another finals appearance for a program that has become one of Asia's most stable and recognisable powers.
Key Players
Son Heung-min
Forward
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham exercised Son's contract extension through the summer of 2026, and he remains the face and attacking leader of the national team.
Kim Min-jae
Defender
Bayern Munich
Kim gives Korea Republic elite-level defending at the heart of the back line and changes the team's confidence without the ball.
Lee Kang-in
Midfielder
Paris Saint-Germain
Lee brings creative subtlety and helps Korea Republic progress from structured possession into more dangerous attacking phases.
Hwang Hee-chan
Forward
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Hwang's direct running and pressing make him especially useful in the kind of transition-heavy matches Korea often end up playing.
Cho Gue-sung
Forward
Midtjylland
Cho gives the attack penalty-box presence and another scoring route when games become more physical.
Goalkeepers
Jo Hyun-Woo
Ulsan HD
Kim Seung-Gyu
FC Tokyo
Song Bum-Keun
Jeonbuk Hyundai
Defenders
Kim Min-Jae
Bayern Munich
Jo Yu-Min
Sharjah FC
Lee Han-Beom
FC Midtjylland
Kim Tae-Hyun
Kashima Antlers
Park Jin-Seop
Zhejiang FC
Lee Ki-Hyeok
Gangwon FC
Lee Tae-Seok
Austria Vienna
Seol Young-Woo
Red Star Belgrade
Jens Castrop
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Kim Moon-Hwan
Daejeon Hana Citizen
Midfielders
Yang Hyun-Jun
Celtic
Paik Seung-Ho
Birmingham City
Hwang In-Beom
Feyenoord
Kim Jin-Kyu
Jeonbuk Hyundai
Bae Jun-Ho
Stoke City
Um Ji-Sung
Swansea City
Hwang Hee-Chan
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Lee Dong-Gyeong
Ulsan HD
Lee Jae-Sung
Mainz
Lee Kang-In
Paris Saint-Germain
Attackers
Oh Hyun-Kyu
Beşiktaş
Son Heung-Min
LAFC
Cho Kyu-Sung
FC Midtjylland
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