Featuring 48 teams in 104 matches hosted by three countries of Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., the quadrennial event will be staged in North America until July 19, when the final match will decide the winner.
What makes it starkly different from previous World Cups is that it features three separate opening ceremonies for the first time, one in each host country. Mexico opened first in Mexico City, followed by Los Angeles and Toronto on Friday, with each ceremony taking place 90 minutes before the host country's opening match.
For South Korea, however, neither its scale nor its ceremony matters as much as the urgency of the moment.
Despite the country's 11th consecutive appearance since 1986, the outlook is far from rosy, with several key players sidelined by injury and questions lingering over leadership and preparation following Hong Myung-bo's late appointment as head coach.
In addition, this may be the final World Cup for captain Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC (LAFC) who has defined South Korean football for more than a decade.
Mexico is widely considered the clear favorite to top the group, buoyed by home advantage and strong support from local fans, meaning South Korea must win against the Czech Republic or South Africa to advance to the next round.
This is why Thursday's opener against Czechia at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, is a must-win match for South Korea, as a defeat would leave little room to recover in the next two matches. South Korea is scheduled to face Mexico on June 18 at the same venue and will play its final group-stage match against South Africa at Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe on June 24.
Hong appears to be relying on familiar strategies, with Son remaining the team's attacking focal point and Kim Min-jae of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich leading the defense. Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain provides technical creativity in midfield, while Cho Gue-sung of FC Midtjylland offers a physical presence in the box.
All four were named by The Athletic, the New York Times-affiliated sports outlet, among its 200 players to watch at this year's tournament.
The question is whether those individuals can withstand the pressure to move beyond their strengths. Since their historic semifinal run in 2002, South Korea has repeatedly fallen short, exiting either in the group stage or at the round of 16.
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