Latest South Korea squad list for the 2026 World Cup.

At a press conference held on May 16th in Seoul, South Korea officially announced the 26-player squad for the 2026 World Cup, a tournament where they aim to reach the quarter-finals for the first time on foreign soil. The Korean Football Association confirmed that familiar stars such as Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, Kim Min-jae, and Hwang Hee-chan are all included.

Besides the familiar key players, the most noteworthy name is Lee Ki-hyuk of Gangwon FC. The 26-year-old has performed consistently in K League 1 this season with 13 appearances. His strength lies in his versatility, as he can play as a center-back, full-back, and midfielder.

Familiar stars such as Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, Kim Min-jae, and Hwang Hee-chan will all be participating in the 2026 World Cup. (Source: Reuters)

Besides Lee Ki-hyuk, K League players like Kim Jin-kyu, Lee Dong-kyung, and goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo were also called up. Midfielder Hwang In-beom, despite recently recovering from a ligament injury, still made the list.

Meanwhile, Jens Castrop, along with two young talents playing in Europe, Bae Joon-ho and Yang Hyun-jun, will be participating in the World Cup for the first time.

The South Korean national team will depart for Salt Lake City (USA) on May 18th for pre-tournament training. They will play friendly matches against Trinidad & Tobago on May 31st and El Salvador on June 4th before entering the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

At the 2026 World Cup, South Korea is in Group A along with the Czech Republic, Mexico, and South Africa.

The full rosters of the 48 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup were announced on June 1st.

List of the South Korean national team for the 2026 World Cup.

South Korea's squad for the 2026 World Cup

Goalkeepers: Jo Hyeon-woo, Kim Seung-gyu, Song Bum-keun.

Defenders: Kim Min-jae, Cho Yu-min, Lee Han-beom, Kim Tae-hyeon, Park Jin-seob, Lee Gi-hyeok, Lee Tae-seok, Seol Young-woo, Jens Castrop, Kim Moon-hwan.

Midfielders: Lee Kang-in, Lee Jae-sung, Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang In-beom, Paik Seung-ho, Lee Dong-gyeong, Bae Jun-ho, Eom Ji-sung, Yang Hyun-jun, Kim Jin-gyu.

Forwards: Son Heung-min, Oh Hyeon-gyu, Cho Gue-sung.

Who is the head coach of South Korea?

Hong Myung-bo (born in 1969) is the head coach of the South Korean national team at the 2026 World Cup.

After being eliminated in the semi-finals of the 2023 Asian Cup, the Korea Football Association (KFA) sacked Jurgen Klinsmann and appointed Hwang Sun-hong and Kim Do-hoon as interim head coaches. In July 2024, Hong Myung-bo signed a contract to become the permanent head coach of the South Korean national team.

Furthermore, at the 2026 World Cup, Hong Myung-bo will also receive assistance from a special expert committee of the Korean Football Association. This is the national team support committee headed by Park Hang Seo.