All 26 players of Team Hong Myung-bo finally got together. Team European players, including captain Son Heung-min, focused on recovery during their first training session on the day and talked harmoniously.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will play a home game against Palestine in Group B of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 5th (Korea time).
This marks the beginning of the third Asian qualifying round, which will start in September for the 2026 North-China World Cup. South Korea will start its journey with the Palestinians in Seoul on May 5, and away to Oman on May 10.
On the 2nd, the national team conducted its first training session with 19 players at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province.
Finally, a total of 26 players, including European players such as Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, who joined belatedly after playing their team’s game, gathered and conducted training at the same place from 7 p.m. on the 3rd.
Of course, not all 26 players could have entered tactical training immediately. Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, Kim Min-jae, Hwang In-beom, and Seol Young-woo conducted recovery training by stretching and cycling. Major overseas players, who met their captain Son Heung-min for the first time in a long time, held a harmonious Hwabok training session.
Coach Hong Myung-bo looked closely at the tactical board and conducted pass and tactical training with the rest of the players. 안전놀이터
Team Korea is expected to engage in tactical training for the first time at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. European league players, who had focused on recovery on Tuesday, will play the match against Palestine after practically working with their teammates at the training center on Wednesday.
2026 North Korea-China World Cup Asia 3rd qualifying round September national soccer team roster (26)
▲ Goalkeeper (GK) = Cho Hyun-woo (Ulsan), Song Bum-keun (Shonan Belmare), Kim Jun-hong (Jeonbuk)
▲ Defender (DF) = Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Cho Yoo-min (Sarja FC), Kim Young-kwon, Lee Myung-jae (Ulsan), Jung Seung-hyun (Alwasl), Lee Han-beom (Mit Willan), Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), Hwang Moon-ki (Gangwon), Hwang Jae-won (Daegu) Choi Woo-jin (Incheon)
▲ Midfielder (MF) = Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Lee Jae-sung (Mines), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Park Yong-woo (Al Ain), Jung Woo-young (Ulsan), Lee Dong-kyung (Kim Chun), Jung Ho-yeon (Gwangju), Yang Min-hyuk (Gangwon), Um Ji-sung (Swansea City)
▲ Striker (FW) = Joo Min-gyu (Ulsan) Oh Se-hoon (Machida Zelvia)