Son Heung-min headlines South Korea’s 2026 World Cup list

South Korea face a tough task if they want to surpass what they achieved in 2002 during the 2026 World Cup. Matching the semifinal run they reached as hosts seems out of reach this time, but Son Heung-min leads the way with that goal in mind.

This is no surprise, as South Korea will take part in the sport’s biggest event for the 11th consecutive time, establishing themselves as one of Asia’s strongest teams. It should not be an easy task for Hong Myung-bo, with not many players competing in the best matches.

Except for Lee Kang-in, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, and Kim Min-jae, who plays for Bayern Munich, the rest of the list is made up of lesser-known names. Captained by the LAFC forward, they could still be a difficult team to face if he is in good form.

The list

Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (FC Tokyo), Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan HD), Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

Defenders: Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon Hana Citizen), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Kim Tae-hyeon (Kashima Antlers), Park Jin-seob (Zhejiang), Seol Young-woo (Red Star Belgrade), Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lee Gi-hyuk (Gangwon), Lee Tae-seok (Austria Vienna), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), Cho Yu-min (Sharjah)

Midfielders: Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk), Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz 05), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Forwards: Son Heung-min (LAFC), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Beşiktaş), Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland)

The group

South Korea were drawn into Group A with Czechia on June 11, Mexico on June 18, and South Africa on June 24.