SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - South Korea, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, has avoided strong contenders like Croatia and Uruguay in the upcoming group draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be take place in Washington, D.C. next week.
The quadrennial global extravaganza, which will be the first to feature 48 teams and three host countries -Canada, Mexico, and the United States - will be held next summer.
According to the football governing body, 42 teams have been assigned to four different groups for the draw based on November's world rankings, with the remaining six to be determined after the European and intercontinental playoffs.
South Korea, ranked 22nd, has been grouped with Austria, Australia, Croatia, Colombia, Ecuador, Japan, Iran, Morocco, Senegal, Switzerland, and Uruguay. This gives the country some relief as teams from the same group or the same continent, with the exception of Europe, cannot be drawn together for the group-stage matches.
The top-tier group features the three host countries, along with nine football powerhouses such as Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands.
The draw will take place at the John F. Kennedy Center in the U.S. capital on Dec. 5.
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