South Korea Secures 11th Consecutive World Cup Spot with Iraq Win

South Korea has secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Iraq, marking the nation's 11th consecutive World Cup qualification, a record surpassed by only a few countries including Brazil and Germany. Despite a challenging qualifying campaign marked by public dissatisfaction and a contentious coaching appointment, head coach Hong Myung-bo remains focused on preparing the team for the tournament, emphasizing the development of young talent to eventually fill the gap left by key players like Son Heung-min. The match against Iraq was pivotal, especially after Iraq’s forward Ali Al-Hamadi was sent off early, allowing South Korea to capitalize on the numerical advantage. South Korea's qualification assures them one of the two tickets from their group, with their final qualifying match against Kuwait being less consequential. Hong addressed the criticism from his appointment and expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, highlighting a steady approach toward the World Cup finals scheduled in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Korea Football Association faced backlash over the coaching choice, reflecting the high expectations and scrutiny surrounding South Korean football.