Taeguk Warriors prepare for final 2026 World Cup qualifier against Kuwait

Korea will play their final 2026 World Cup qualifier against Kuwait at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Tuesday to complete an unbeaten run in the third qualifying round.

The Korean national team trains at the Paju National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi on June 8. [YONHAP]

Korea will play their final 2026 World Cup qualifier against Kuwait at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Tuesday to complete an unbeaten run in the third qualifying round.

Tuesday’s qualifier is a formality for Korea, with the country having already secured a berth in the World Cup by locking in at least a runner-up finish in Group B.

But a draw or win against Kuwait would cap off Korea’s qualifying run with an unbeaten streak. The national squad, led by manager Hong Myung-bo, sits at the top of the group with five wins and four draws as of Monday.

Korea heads to Tuesday’s fixture on the back of a 2-0 victory over Iraq on Thursday, which came after the squad picked up three straight 1-1 draws in their previous qualifiers.

Thursday’s win demonstrated that Korea has built more cohesion, as the team’s second goal came with a tidy link-up play, during which Hwang In-beom countered pressure, Jeon Jin-woo fed the ball with a cut back and Oh Hyeon-gyu converting it in front of goal.

The Taeguk Warriors’ overall performance was a sign that all 11 players work as a team rather than relying on any particular individual talent.

Jeon, who made his first cap on Thursday, also showcased his potential as a regular winger pick with his pace and skills on the right edge, where he made a decisive cut back.

Korea's Jeon Jin-woo poses after a 2-0 win over Iraq at Basra International Stadium in Barsa, Iraq on June 5. [NEWS1]

Regular winger pick Hwang Hee-chan struggled on the left edge — usually occupied by Son Heung-min — as he went into action after clocking up barely any minute at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the second half of the 2024-25 season.

Regular captain Son’s availability for Tuesday’s match still remains unclear due to an injury, but Hong has an option to deploy Stoke City midfielder Bae Jun-ho, whom he called up after the Iraq game.

Bae, 21, is strong on the ball and has clinical finishing skills. He proved during the October and November international breaks last year that he can execute the left winger role effectively by picking up one goal and two assists.

Hong has indicated that he could use younger players like Bae for the Kuwait match.

“We won't have too many opportunities like this [before the World Cup],” Hong said on Friday. “It's one thing for those guys to watch from the bench and quite another for them to play. With our current group, whether it's on defense or offense, we can absolutely put together a lineup with young players.”

Hong’s squad includes younger players such as 24-year-old forward Oh Hyeon-gyu and 22-year-old defender Lee Han-beom, who could solidify or establish their roles on the squad ahead of the World Cup.

Starting Tuesday’s qualifier would earn Lee his first cap and would raise Oh Hyeon-gyu’s potential to establish himself in Hong’s best XI in lieu of the manager’s usual starting No. 9 pick Oh Se-hun.

“I feel like I am ready,” Oh Hyeon-gyu said at the Paju National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi on Sunday. “I am confident to be recognized by the manager, all players and coaching staff. I will always be able to pull off a good performance, if I can show what I’ve got.

Oh Hyeon-gyu speaks to reporters at the Paju Nationa Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi on June 8. [NEWS1]

“I will give my best in every minute and second as long as I’ve got this Taeguk mark on. How I spend this one year until the World Cup would determine whether I can play in the tournament. I will showcase a good performance every time I have an opportunity.”

The qualifier against Kuwait on paper looks to be a one-sided affair, as the visitors sit in 134th on the FIFA rankings compared to No. 23 Korea.

But the rankings proved meaningless when Korea faced much lower-ranked Palestine — sitting in 101st as of Monday — and drew twice in the third qualifying round.

The national squad also faces the test of whether they can deliver a promising result like last week without the outnumbering advantage. Korea played with one more player against Iraq after Ali Al-Hamadi received a red card in the 26th minute.

The Taeguk Warriors will witness the “We Daehan” card stunt — a coordinated showing of placards — at Seoul World Cup Stadium, which fans will feature in commemoration of Korea’s qualification for their 11th straight World Cup.

“We Daehan” has two possible meanings. The Korean word “wedaehan,” if directly translated, conveys a powerful status, but “we” (in English) combined with “Daehan” — a poetic abbreviation of Daehanminguk, the Korean name for Korea — conveys a sense of national unity and pride, roughly translating to “We are Korea.”

Tuesday’s match kicks off at 8 p.m.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]