Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-gyu expressed his hope as a football fan that the national team under head coach Hong Myung-bo will advance to at least the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
"I think the Korean squad could play 'at least five matches' at the World Cup. It would obviously be better if they play a few more," Chung said at a press conference held at the Pony Chung Foundation Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Friday. "The balance of players' skills has improved compared to four years ago. It's not impossible."
The 2026 World Cup, now three months away, has expanded from 32 to 48 participating nations.
While teams will still play three group-stage matches as in previous tournaments, advancement to the round of 16 has become more difficult as the knockout stage now begins with 32 teams instead of 16.
The "minimum five matches" Chung mentioned refers to the number of games the team would play if they reach at least the round of 16.
