Photo from Korea Football Association Website

Some readers may seem outlandish when I say South Korea could be a contender for the 2026 World Cup.

The country has never finished higher than fourth in the tournament, and its best players have often struggled to perform at the highest level. But there are a number of factors that suggest that South Korea could be a dark horse in 2026.

First, the country has several world-class players in its ranks. Son Heung-min is a proven star at Tottenham Hotspur, and he is joined by other talented players such as Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan, and Kim Min-jae.

Second, South Korea is under the guidance of a world-class manager, Jurgen Klinsmann. Klinsmann led Germany to third place at the 2006 World Cup and has a proven track record of developing young players.

Third, South Korea will have a home-field advantage for some of its games. The United States, Mexico, and Canada will co-host the 2026 World Cup. Unless South Korea is drawn into a group with the U.S. or Canada, and if the South Korean team plays its group-stage games in the United States or Canada, that would give the team a significant advantage in terms of fan support. There are two million Korean immigrants in the U.S and a significant number of them are interested in the South Korean national team. In cities with large Korean populations, such as New York, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston, it is expected that thousands of Korean-American fans will come to the stadium in addition to the cheering squad from South Korea. 

Of course, there are also some challenges that South Korea will need to overcome if it wants to win the World Cup. The team must stay healthy, avoid difficult draws, and beat the other top teams in the world.

But if South Korea can overcome these challenges, it has the potential to make a deep run in the tournament.

Here are some specific points that I make that support my argument:

•  Son Heung-min is a world-class player who has proven himself at the highest level. He was the co-leading scorer in the English Premier League. He is a veteran who has played in the 2014 Brazil World Cup, the 2018 Russia World Cup, and the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He is expected to make his fourth World Cup appearance in 2026. He will be 34 years old at that time, but he is known for his good self-management and is expected to play a key role as captain in his final World Cup.
  
  
  Cho Gue-sung and Son Heung Min. Photo from Korean Football Association Website.
  
   
• Lee Kang-in is a young player with a lot of potential. He was named the MVP of the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and he has been playing well for Paris Saint-Germain. Lee Kang-in is expected to be the best player in South Korea in 2026. He is expected to be in his prime as a soccer player at that time. He is known for his dribbling and ball-keeping skills. He is known for his playmaking ability with his left foot, was ranked second in La Liga in total dribbles (90) and third in average dribbles per game (2.5) during his time with Mallorca in Spain. He is a dangerous player with the ball at his feet.
  
  
  Lee Kang-in. Photo from Shutterstock.
  
   
• Hwang Hee-chan is a versatile player who can play in a number of positions. He has been a consistent scorer for Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he has a knack for scoring important goals.
   
• Kim Min-jae is one of the best defenders in the world. He was named the Serie A Defender of the Year in 2023, and he has been a key player for Napoli.
  
  
  Kim Min-jae. Photo from Shutterstock.
  
  
   
• Other factors. Cho Gue-sung (born in 1998) is also one of South Korea's best attacking resources. Cho, who signed a five-year contract with FC Midtjylland of the Danish Superliga on July 11, 2023, has scored five goals in 12 matches, demonstrating his excellent scoring ability. He scored two goals against Ghana in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the first time a South Korean player has scored two goals in a single World Cup match. Other European-based players who are leading South Korea include forward Jeong Woo-yeong of Stuttgart, forward Oh Hyun-gyu of Celtic FC in Scotland, forward Hwang Ui-Jo of Norwich City FC in the Premier League, midfielder Lee Jae-sung of Mainz 05, midfielder Hwang In-beom of Crvena Zvezda in Serbia, and midfielder Hong Hyun-seok of KAA Gent in Belgium.

  Baek Seung-ho, who was named one of the 10 best World Cup goals of 2022 World Cup for his stunning long-range strike, is expected to play in the Bundesliga soon.
   

  In addition, K League players such as Moon Seon-min, Kim Young-gwon, Kim Jin-su, Seol Young-woo, Park Jin-sub, and Jeong Seung-hyun are also playing at a high level, and they have the potential to move to Europe. Even if they are not playing in Europe, they will be able to contribute to the team in the World Cup.
  
  

  Photo from Korea Football Association.
  
   

• Teamwork: Most importantly, the teamwork of South Korean players, centered around Son Heung-min, is already too good.
   

• Jurgen Klinsmann is a world-class manager with a proven track record of developing young players. He led Germany to third place at the 2006 World Cup, and he has a history of helping young players reach their full potential.
  
  
  Jurgen Klinsmann. Photo from NJT.