"Family time provided for conditioning purposes"
![South Korea national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo speaks to players before a training session at Chivas Valle Verde in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, on Saturday, the day after the team's Group A match against Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/20/rcv.YNA.20260620.PYH2026062000320001300_P1.jpg)
South Korea's national football squad will rest with their families and regroup after a narrow defeat to host nation Mexico in their second Group A match.
On Saturday — the day after the Mexico match — the players completed a light recovery session at their base camp, Chivas Valle Verde in Zapopan, Mexico. They will have Sunday entirely off, with no official team training scheduled.
A Korea Football Association official said players would be free to go out from the afternoon. "The players have been in camp for nearly a month since the pre-tournament training period, so we decided to give them time with their families for conditioning purposes," the official said.
The KFA introduced its "family invitation support program" at the 2022 Qatar World Cup to boost player motivation and psychological stability, and has continued it at this tournament. All 26 players on the final roster are receiving the benefit.
The association is providing each player with two double rooms at a hotel in the host city, along with two first-class tickets per match so families can cheer the team on in person from the opening group-stage game.
After the rest day, the players will travel to Monterrey, Mexico, on Sunday local time to begin preparations for their final group-stage match against South Africa.
South Korea sit second in the group with three points from one win and one loss. A draw against South Africa would be enough to secure a place in the round of 32.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
