[Yonhap]
[Yonhap]

South Korea's hopes of advancing to the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been pushed to the brink, with the team now needing favorable results in both Group J and Group K to stay alive.

Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 in their Group L finale at Philadelphia Stadium in Pennsylvania on Sunday (Korean Standard Time), further complicating South Korea's path.

The win lifted Croatia to six points — two wins and one loss — securing second place in the group and a round-of-32 berth. Ghana finished third with four points (one win, one draw, one loss) but still clinched one of the eight spots reserved for the top third-place finishers across all groups.

South Korea's fate now hinges on the outcomes of Austria vs. Algeria in Group J and Uzbekistan vs. the Democratic Republic of Congo in Group K. For South Korea to advance, Austria must win or Algeria must win by no more than one goal, while Uzbekistan must either win by fewer than five goals or draw.

South Korea currently sits eighth among all third-place teams, but failure to meet those conditions will confirm their elimination.


sun@heraldcorp.com