SEOUL, December 4 (AJP) - National team coach Hong Myung-bo arrived in Washington, D.C., just days before this week's group draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking to reporters at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on Wednesday, Hong said, "Just qualifying for the World Cup is a great honor."
When asked which countries would be ideal opponents for South Korea in the upcoming quadrennial sporting event next summer, which will be the first to feature 48 teams and three host countries - Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., Hong declined to comment, saying it is too early to predict.
About 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 is set to take place at the John F. Kennedy Center in the U.S. capital on Friday.
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