Hong Myung-bo will play two consecutive away games in the Middle East under more pleasant weather than feared.
The national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, will play Kuwait in Group B of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup at Jabeur Al Ahmed International Stadium in Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait, at 11 p.m. on the 14th (Korea time).
Five days later, at 11 p.m. on the 19th, the sixth round of the tournament will be played against the Palestinians at the Amman International Stadium in Amman, Jordan. The match will be held in Jordan, a neutral zone, following a dispute between Israel and Palestinian militant Hamas.
Currently, Korea leads Group B with 10 points (3 wins and 1 draw).
Kuwait (3 points, 3 draws and 1 loss) ranked fifth and Palestine (2 points, 2 draws and 2 losses), ranked sixth, are considered one level below, but one should not let down one’s guard.
In particular, unlike the Korean Peninsula, which is currently moving from late autumn to early winter, the heat of the Middle East, which is scorching all year round, is a variable.
According to weather big data platform company Kweather, Kuwait has an average maximum temperature of 27.8 degrees Celsius in November.
On the 12th, when the national soccer team conducted its first training session as a whole, the highest temperature in the middle of the day reached 33 degrees Celsius.
At 5 p.m. local time when the match against Kuwait will begin, the temperature remained above 30 degrees Celsius.
However, rather than worrying, he is expected to face Kuwait under cool weather.
This is because the humidity is relatively low, one of the causes of the hot summer heat in Korea.
As of 5 p.m., when Hong Myung-bo began training, the humidity was only 29%.
This is compared to Muscat, who faced Oman in the second leg of the tournament in September, recording 75% humidity.
“All the players are adjusting well. I think we can prepare well in a good atmosphere and environment,” said Jung Woo-young of Uyun Berlin, who met him on the second day of training.
Bae Joon-ho (Stoke City) also expressed satisfaction about Kuwait’s weather, saying, “It’s not as hot as I thought it would be,” adding, “I think it’s a very nice day to play soccer.”
In addition, pleasant weather is maintained in Amman, Jordan, which will face the Palestinians.
In recent years, Jordan has a daytime high of 22 degrees Celsius, which is low compared to neighboring Middle Eastern countries. 스포츠토토
Experiencing the Amman climate through an away trip to Jordan in the third leg of the tournament also reduces the variables of the Palestinian war.
The presence of Middle Eastern leaguers such as Kwon Kyung-won (Korpakan), Cho Yoo-min (Sharja), Jung Seung-hyun (Alwasl), and Park Yong-woo (Al Ain) is also a positive factor.
Meanwhile, Hong Myung-bo will conduct a tactical training session at Jabeur Al Ahmed International Stadium, where the match against Kuwait will be held on the 13th.