World Cup 2026: South Korea football coach quits as President Lee calls for probe
Hong Myung-bo resigned as head coach of the South Korea men’s national football team, which failed to advance to the World Cup qualifying stage.
The team was still hoping to qualify for the next round of the tournament as one of the top third-placed teams, but that hope was dashed on Saturday.
The early exit sparked widespread criticism within the country, with President Lee Jae-myung calling for an investigation into the reasons behind the team’s disappointing performance.
Hong apologized to fans on Sunday and said the responsibility “lies entirely with me as the head coach.”
South Korea, ranked 32nd in the FIFA men’s rankings and led by star player Son Heung-min, finished the World Cup behind Mexico and South Africa, ranked 15th and 60th respectively, with two defeats and one win.
Criticism increased rapidly after the team’s last match against South Africa on Thursday, in which South Korea lost 1-0.
The defeat left South Korea in third place in Group A but still gave them hope of qualifying for the next round under the new rule introduced when this tournament was expanded from 32 to 48 teams; this allows the eight best third-placed teams in the group stage to advance to the knockout round.
Announcing his resignation at a press conference in Western Mexico, Hong said, “We did not get the results our fans expected.”
“Even though I’m leaving the national team, I’m not leaving Korean football completely,” Hong said. “I will cheer for the national team with all my heart and hope that the team will once again be trusted and loved by the public.”
The announcement came after Chairman Lee said he felt “not just confusion but utter astonishment at the unexpected outcome.”
In a post on X, Lee said the team’s early departure “appears to be a failure on the part of the organization and personnel.”
“When nepotism and nepotism prevail over competence in the selection of commanders, the outcome is as predictable as setting paper on fire,” he said.
Hong’s appointment as head coach was controversial from the beginning. The former defender was a hero of South Korea’s 2002 World Cup success, captaining the team to a historic semi-final at the time. But when he led the team as coach in 2014, they failed to progress beyond the group stage or win a single match.
When Hong was appointed to the same position again in 2024, he was met with harsh reactions. Many football fans criticized the appointment as the football association’s old guard gave the top job to their friends, as the KFA handed over several foreign national candidates who had gone through a strict vetting process.
On Sunday, Hong said it was “not an easy choice to accept the job.”
“I can’t say that every decision was the right one, but I can say that I made every decision with Korean football in mind,” he added.
South Korean police said they were monitoring security threats at Incheon Airport and other locations after Hong was made an online death threat upon his return to Korea over the weekend, local media reported.
