This is allocation of Group A along with the winners of the Korea Football Association, Mexico, South Africa, and Europe POD (North Korea and Central America draw)

This is allocation of Group A along with the winners of the Korea Football Association, Mexico, South Africa, and Europe POD (North Korea and Central America draw)



This is allocation of Group A along with the winners of the Korea Football Association, Mexico, South Africa, and Europe POD (North Korea and Central America draw)
The opponent for the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup group stage of Korean football has been decided. Mexico, South Africa, and European playoff D winners.

The draw ceremony for the North Korea-China World Cup was held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on the 6th (Korea time). Except for the six countries ahead of the playoffs (PO), a total of 42 head coaches who have been confirmed to advance to the finals were dispatched. Coach Hong Myung-bo of the A national soccer team also entered the country on the 4th. Korea was in Group A with Mexico (15th in FIFA ranking), South Africa (61st) and European POD winners. Denmark, North Macedonia, Ireland, and the Czech Republic were among the European POD groups.

Superstars embroidered with North American sports such as Tom Brady, a seven-time winner of the National Football League (NFL), Shaquille O'Neal, Aaron Judge (New York Yankees), one of the best sluggers in the Major League Baseball (MLB), and Wayne Gretzky of the National Hockey League (NHL) participated in the draw as helpers. In the soccer world, Cha Bum-keun, former coach of the Korean national team, as well as legends such as England's Rio Ferdinand and Brazil's Dongga, were also present.




This is the first World Cup where 48 countries, not 32 countries, participate. In the group stage, not only the first and second places in 12 groups (A to L groups, a total of 24 teams), but also the top eight teams among the third places will advance to the round of 32, a new start to the tournament.

Hong Myung-bo, ranked 22nd in the FIFA rankings, confirmed the first '2 Port' in Korean soccer history. Reflecting the FIFA rankings in November, FIFA unveiled ports 1 to 4 of the draw last month.

This is allocation of Group A along with the winners of the Korea Football Association, Mexico, South Africa, and Europe POD (North Korea and Central America draw)
This is allocation of Group A along with the winners of the Korea Football Association, Mexico, South Africa, and Europe POD (North Korea and Central America draw)
The top-seeded co-hosts the United States (14th), Mexico (15th), and Canada (27th), as well as Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Mexico was pre-allocated to Group A, Canada to Group B, and the United States to Group D.

Croatia (10th), Morocco (11th), Colombia (13th), Uruguay (16th), Switzerland (17th), Japan (18th), Senegal (19th), Iran (20th), South Korea (23rd), Austria (24th) and Australia (26th).

Norway (29th), Panama (30th), Egypt (34th), Algeria (35th), Scotland (36th), Paraguay (39th), Tunisia (40th), Ivory Coast (42nd), Uzbekistan (50th), Qatar (51st), Saudi Arabia (60th) and South Africa (61st).

In addition to Curaçao, Haiti, and New Zealand, Jordan (66th), Cabo Verde (68th), and Ghana (72nd), six countries will be located in Port 4 through intercontinental POs with Europe in March next year.




In the draw from 'Port 1', South Korea met Mexico, followed by South Africa in Port 3 and the European POD winner in Port 4, and they will travel to the North-China World Cup. South Korea will play the first match against the winner of the European POD at Estadio Acron in Guadalajara, Mexico, on the 11th. On the 18th, they will play the second game in the same place as Mexico, and on the 24th, they will play the final match against South Africa at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey. Coach Hong will participate in the draw ceremony and visit the base camp candidate site and the group stage before returning home.

The North-China World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will be held at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, on June 11 next year. Until July 19, it will be held in 16 cities in the United States (11), Canada (2), and Mexico (3).





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.