World Cup 26: Korea hold Mexico scoreless at halftime SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - South Korea and Mexico were locked at 0-0 at halftime in their Group A match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday morning in Korea, with both sides pressing aggressively but struggling to create clear chances. The match kicked off at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, at 10 a.m. Friday in Korea, or 9 p.m. Thursday local time. South Korea started with Kim Seung-gyu in goal, with Lee Han-beom, Kim Min-jae, Kim Moon-hwan, Lee Gi-hyuk and Seol Young-woo ac June 19, 2026

World Cup 26: Seoul holds breath for showdown with Mexico SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) -Thousands converged on viewing spots across the capital on Friday morning as Seoul held its breath for South Korea's pivotal World Cup showdown with Mexico on the hosts' home turf, with an early berth in the Round of 32 at stake. From Gwanghwamun Square to Gangnam Station, office workers took half-days off, foreign tourists joined supporters waving national flags and giant outdoor screens replaced computer monitors as the city briefly shi June 19, 2026

World Cup 26: Mokoena penalty earns South Africa draw against Czechia SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - Teboho Mokoena converted a late penalty to earn South Africa a 1-1 draw against Czechia in a Group A match at Atlanta Stadium on Thursday, denying the Czechs a win they had looked capable of holding for most of the game. Czechia took the lead in the sixth minute through Michal Sadílek and protected the lead for more than 75 minutes before a handball by substitute Pavel Šulc inside the area handed South Africa a way back into the match. Mokoena June 19, 2026

World Cup 26: Korea seek win over Mexico to tighten grip on Group A SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - South Korea face Mexico on Friday morning in Korea with a chance to move closer to the Round of 32, though the calculation will first be shaped by the result between Czechia and South Africa. South Korea and Mexico both opened Group A with wins. Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener, while South Korea defeated Czechia 2-1. That left the two sides level on three points, with Mexico ahead on goal difference. The match kicks off at Guadalaja June 18, 2026

World Cup 26: Portugal stumble, England respond in style SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - Portugal opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a flat draw against DR Congo on Wednesday local time, or Thursday in Korea, while England answered doubts with a convincing victory. Ghana beat Panama with a stoppage-time winner, while Colombia overpowered an inexperienced Uzbekistan side to take early control of Group K. Portugal were held 1-1 by DR Congo at Houston Stadium in Houston, Texas, in one of the most disappointing performances by a major c June 18, 2026

World Cup 26: Europe sweeps, Asia holds ground, Messi lifts South America SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - Europe restored order at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday local time, or Wednesday in Korea, as France, Norway and Austria all won their opening matches while Asia’s unbeaten start came to an end. Argentina also gave South America its first win of the tournament, with Lionel Messi delivering a record-tying hat trick in a victory over Algeria. The day marked a sharp turn from the early group-stage pattern, when Asian teams had gone unbeaten and South June 17, 2026

World Cup 26: Unauthorized drone sparks security scare at Korea training SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) -South Korea's closed-door training session in Mexico ahead of its second World Cup group match against Mexico was briefly disrupted by an unidentified drone intrusion, the Korea Football Association said Wednesday. The incident took place during South Korea's private tactical session at the Chivas Verde Valle training facility in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, as the team prepared for its Group A match against Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Unlike June 17, 2026

World Cup 26: Korea zooms up to 13th in The Athletic's reranking SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - South Korea was upgraded to 13th in The Athletic's latest ranking of all 48 teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after opening the tournament with a comeback win over Czechia. The Athletic, the sports outlet owned by The New York Times, placed South Korea ahead of Uruguay, Senegal, Egypt, Belgium, the United States and Japan, despite the team sitting outside the top 20 in FIFA's official world rankings. South Korea defeated Czechia 2-1 in its Group A June 17, 2026

World Cup 26: Asia holds firm, New Zealand shine, and South America winless SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - Asian teams extended their unbeaten start to this year's FIFA World Cup on Monday, while New Zealand marked its return to the tournament with a spirited draw. South America's wait for a first win continued as Uruguay fell short of victory. Four matches played across the U.S. produced no wins for the traditional favorites. Spain was held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in Atlanta, Georgia, as the World Cup debutants frustrated one of Europe's stro June 16, 2026

World Cup 26: Football migrates from TV to handheld screens SEOUL, June 15 (AJP) - FIFA World Cup seasons once fueled sales of televisions and large screens as football watching became a collective event in living rooms, bars and public squares. That ritual is changing in South Korea. With most matches in the 2026 tournament being played across North America and kicking off during the early morning or daytime hours in Korea, football consumption is becoming a far more private experience, shifting to smartphones, chat rooms and creator-l June 15, 2026