South Korea’s hopes of reaching the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 remain alive despite a 1-0 defeat to South Africa in their final Group A match, with the team now relying on the tournament’s expanded qualification format.
South Korea finished third in Group A with three points after opening the campaign with a 2-1 victory over Czechia before suffering consecutive 1-0 defeats to Mexico and South Africa. The team ended the group stage with a goal difference of minus one and two goals scored.
Under the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups qualify automatically for the Round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams. As a result, South Korea’s World Cup journey is not yet over despite missing out on an automatic qualification place.
Mexico topped Group A with a perfect nine points, while South Africa secured a historic first-ever qualification for the knockout stage after defeating South Korea in the final group match.
South Korea’s chances now depend entirely on results from the remaining groups. Teams finishing third with four or more points are almost certain to rank above Korea, while nations ending with two points or fewer will finish below them. Other teams finishing on three points will be separated using FIFA’s tiebreakers, including goal difference, goals scored, disciplinary record and, if required, FIFA World Ranking.
Football analysts believe South Korea remains in a competitive position among the third-placed teams. With three points and only a minus-one goal difference, the Asian side still has a realistic opportunity to finish among the top eight third-placed nations, although qualification will only be confirmed once all group-stage matches conclude.
For now, South Korea’s players and supporters face an anxious wait as the final group fixtures across the tournament determine whether their World Cup campaign continues into the knockout rounds.