South Korea coach Hong resigns
South Korea men’s national team head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned after the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, following a third-place Group A finish behind Mexico and South Africa in June.
South Korea opened with a 2-1 win over Czechia, then lost consecutive matches to Mexico and South Africa. Those results kept Hong’s team outside the expanded last 32 in North America.
South Korea exits Group A
South Korea began Group A with a 2-1 victory over Czechia, giving Hong’s team an early boost before two straight defeats changed the tournament path in North America during June.
Mexico and South Africa finished ahead of South Korea after all three group matches. Hong’s squad placed third in Group A and missed the 2026 World Cup knockout round completely.
Korea Football Association probe grows
South Korea’s government review centered on the Korea Football Association’s 2024 decision to rehire Hong after Juergen Klinsmann left the national team role in early 2024 amid public pressure.
The sports ministry said the association breached its own selection rules when hiring Hong and Klinsmann. Officials did not force the KFA to void Hong’s contract because they said there was not enough ground to do so.
Korea Football Association faces criticism
The Korea Football Association faced criticism for abandoning a standard search and interview process before naming Hong as national team head coach in July 2024.
The ministry did not order Hong’s contract termination before the World Cup, even after finding procedural problems with the association’s coaching appointment process during the public review period leading up to the 2026 tournament.
Lee Jae Myung seeks review
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to examine the World Cup exit and the association’s coach selection process after group play ended.
Lee criticized favoritism and poor decision-making in a public message after the group-stage exit. His remarks tied the team’s results to questions about leadership and federation accountability in South Korea’s football system.
Hong Myung-bo faces scrutiny
Hong resigned after South Korea’s early World Cup exit, while government scrutiny and public criticism continued at home following renewed questions about the Korea Football Association’s 2024 appointment process.
Questions remained over whether Hong would face disciplinary steps after the review. Public criticism grew after the tournament, but official reports had not yet confirmed a final sanction against him.
Hong Myung-bo built player legacy
Hong played in four World Cups for South Korea and captained the 2002 team that reached the semifinals when South Korea co-hosted the tournament with Japan on home soil.
That 2002 finish remains South Korea’s best World Cup result. Hong became one of the country’s most recognizable soccer figures before his coaching record drew wider criticism after the 2026 group-stage exit.
Hong Myung-bo had earlier exit
Hong previously managed South Korea’s men’s national team in 2013 and 2014, then led the squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil during his first senior national tenure.
South Korea failed to advance from its 2014 group, and Hong resigned after that tournament before later working in the Chinese Super League and South Korea’s K League 1 before his return.
Hong Myung-bo returned in 2024
Hong returned as South Korea’s head coach in July 2024 after earlier club roles and a title-winning spell with Ulsan before the national team job opened again after Klinsmann’s departure.
His reappointment brought transparency questions because critics said the association moved too quickly after Klinsmann’s departure and did not complete a fair candidate process before his final summer appointment decision.
South Korea fans demand reform
Public frustration grew after South Korea’s World Cup exit, with fans and officials calling for broader reform of the Korea Football Association following Hong’s resignation in 2026.
The criticism reflected the tournament result and unresolved questions about Hong’s hiring, which followed Klinsmann’s short tenure and a contested 2024 selection process within South Korean football.
South Korea stars miss knockout stage
South Korea entered the tournament with familiar names, including Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae, but the team still exited after the group stage at the 2026 World Cup.
Son apologized after the early exit and asked supporters to stay behind the team. His message came after South Korea missed the knockout round at the expanded 48-team tournament.
Korea Football Association faces reform
The World Cup result prompted a broader government-backed review of South Korea’s football leadership, as the controversy extended beyond coaching tactics or a single poor tournament result.
President Lee asked officials to find the causes and develop prevention measures. The focus moved to selection standards, transparency, and public trust in South Korea’s football leadership after the group-stage exit.
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South Korea waits for next steps
Hong’s resignation ended his second spell as head coach, but the wider case remained open as officials reviewed the Korea Football Association’s 2024 appointment process and the national team’s group-stage exit.
South Korea must choose another coach while addressing a public dispute over process, accountability, and the national team’s direction after another group-stage World Cup exit.
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Should South Korea focus more on coaching results or on the Korea Football Association reform after Hong Myung-bo’s resignation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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