South Korea's national football team will play a friendly match against African powerhouse Ivory Coast in March.
The Korea Football Association announced on the 10th that it has finalized opponents for two friendlies to be held during the March A-match (international match) period in Europe.
The national team will face Ivory Coast near London, England, at 11 p.m. Korean time on March 28, then play a second match against host Austria in Vienna at 3:45 a.m. on April 1.
First opponent Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking 37th) has secured their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after finishing first in Group F of the African qualifiers.
At the World Cup finals, they are placed in Group E alongside Germany, Curaçao, and Ecuador.
This match serves as a "mock exam" targeting South Africa, South Korea's third group-stage opponent at the North and Central America World Cup.
South Korea has faced Ivory Coast once before, recording one victory. In a March 2010 friendly in London, the team claimed a 2-0 win with consecutive goals from Lee Dong-guk and Kwak Tae-hwi.