Team Overview
The South Korea national football team ( Korean : 대한민국 축구 국가대표팀 ; recognized as Korea Republic by FIFA ) represents South Korea in men's international football and is governed by the Korea Football Association , a member of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). South Korea has emerged as a major football power in Asia since the 1980s, having participated in ten consecutive and eleven overall FIFA World Cup tournaments, the most for any Asian country. Despite initially going through five World Cup tournaments without winning a match, South Korea became the first (and so far only) Asian team to reach the semi-finals when they co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan. South Korea also has won two AFC Asian Cup titles, and finished as runners-up on four occasions. Furthermore, the team won three gold medals and three silver medals at the senior Asian Games .
2026 Fixtures
| Date | Match | Group / Round | Venue | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 20:00 UTC-6 | Korea Republic vs Czechia | Group A | Guadalajara (Zapopan) | SCHEDULED |
| 2026-06-18 19:00 UTC-6 | Mexico vs Korea Republic | Group A | Guadalajara (Zapopan) | SCHEDULED |
| 2026-06-24 19:00 UTC-6 | South Africa vs Korea Republic | Group A | Monterrey (Guadalupe) | SCHEDULED |
Honours
| Intercontinental: Afro-Asian Cup of Nations |
| Continental: AFC Asian Cup |
| Continental: Asian Games |
| Regional: EAFF Championship |
| Friendly competitions: Korea Cup : 1971 , 1974 , 1975 , 1976 , 1978 , 1980 , 1981 , 1982 , 1985 , 1987 , 1991 , 1997 |
| Friendly competitions: Merdeka Tournament : 1960, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1975 , 1977, 1978 |
| Friendly competitions: King's Cup : 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1998 |
| Friendly competitions: Jakarta Anniversary Tournament : 1981 |
| Friendly competitions: Dynasty Cup : 1990 |
| Friendly competitions: LG Cup : 2000 (Iran) , 2001 (Egypt) , 2006 (Saudi Arabia) |
| Awards: FIFA World Cup Most Entertaining Team : 2002 |
| Awards: AFC National Team of the Year : 2002, 2009 |
| Awards: EAFF Championship Fair Play Award: 2008 |
| Awards: AFC Asian Cup Fair Play Award : 2011 |
Competition Records
FIFA World Cup
| FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 1930 to 1938 | Part of Japan | Part of Japan | ||||||
| 1950 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||
| 1954 | Group stage | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | Squad |
| 1958 | Did not enter | Entry denied by FIFA | ||||||
| 1962 | Did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 9 | |
| 1966 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||
| 1970 | Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | |
| 1974 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 1978 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 9 | ||
| 1982 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1986 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | Squad |
Summer Olympics
| Summer Olympics record | Qualification record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 1900 to 1908 | Part of the Korean Empire | Part of the Korean Empire | ||||||
| 1912 to 1936 | Part of Japan | Part of Japan | ||||||
| 1948 | Quarter-finals | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 15 | Squad |
| 1952 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||
| 1956 | Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1960 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 1964 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 20 | Squad |
| 1968 | Did not qualify | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 5 | |
| 1972 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 2 | ||
| 1976 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 5 | ||
| 1980 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 6 |
AFC Asian Cup
| AFC Asian Cup record | Qualification record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 1956 | Champions | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 6 | Squad |
| 1960 | Champions | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | Squad |
| 1964 | Third place | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Squad |
| 1968 | Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 4 | |
| 1972 | Runners-up | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 6 | Squad |
| 1976 | Did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
| 1980 | Runners-up | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | Squad |
| 1984 | Group stage | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Squad |
| 1988 | Runners-up | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 | Squad |
| 1992 | Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | |
| 1996 | Quarter-finals | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 11 | Squad |
Asian Games
| Asian Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 1951 | Did not enter | |||||||
| 1954 | Silver medalists | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 12 | Squad |
| 1958 | Silver medalists | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 6 | Squad |
| 1962 | Silver medalists | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | Squad |
| 1966 | First round | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | Squad |
| 1970 | Gold medalists | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | Squad |
| 1974 | Second round | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | Squad |
| 1978 | Gold medalists | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 3 | Squad |
| 1982 | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | Squad |
| 1986 | Gold medalists | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 3 | Squad |
| 1990 | Bronze medalists | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 1 | Squad |
EAFF Championship
| EAFF Championship record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 2003 | Champions | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | Squad |
| 2005 | Fourth place | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Squad |
| 2008 | Champions | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | Squad |
| 2010 | Runners-up | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | Squad |
| 2013 | Third place | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Squad |
| 2015 | Champions | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | Squad |
| 2017 | Champions | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | Squad |
| 2019 | Champions | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | Squad |
| 2022 | Runners-up | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | Squad |
| 2025 | Runners-up | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Squad |
| Total | Champions | 30 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 44 | 21 | 10/10 |
Other competitions
| Competition | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup | Group stage | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Squad |
| 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup | Group stage | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | Squad |
| 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup | Fourth place | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | Squad |
Current Squad
| Pos | Name | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | ||||
| GK | Kim Dong-heon | 0 | 0 | Incheon United |
| GK | Lee Chang-geun | 3 | 0 | Daejeon Hana Citizen |
| GK | Yun Ki-wook | 0 | 0 | FC Seoul |
| Defenders | ||||
| DF | Byeon Jun-soo | 1 | 0 | Gimcheon Sangmu |
| DF | Cho Hyun-taek | 1 | 0 | Ulsan HD |
| DF | Cho Yu-min | 19 | 0 | Sharjah |
| DF | Jeong Sang-bin | 3 | 1 | St. Louis City |
| DF | Kim Ji-soo | 0 | 0 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern |
| DF | Kim Ju-sung | 8 | 1 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
| DF | Kim Tae-hyun | 1 | 0 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| DF | Lee Myung-jae | 10 | 0 | Daejeon Hana Citizen |
| DF | Park Seung-wook | 5 | 0 | Shimizu S-Pulse |
| DF | Seo Myung-gwan | 1 | 0 | Ulsan HD |
| Midfielders | ||||
| MF | Hong Hyun-seok | 16 | 0 | Gent |
| MF | Jeon Jin-woo | 2 | 0 | Oxford United |
| MF | Jeong Seung-won | 2 | 0 | FC Seoul |
| MF | Kang Sang-yoon | 3 | 1 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| MF | Kim Bong-soo | 2 | 0 | Daejeon Hana Citizen |
| MF | Kwon Hyeok-kyu | 2 | 0 | Karlsruher SC |
| MF | Lee Seung-won | 2 | 0 | Gangwon FC |
| MF | Mo Jae-hyeon | 2 | 0 | Gangwon FC |
| MF | Moon Seon-min | 21 | 2 | FC Seoul |
| MF | Na Sang-ho | 30 | 2 | Machida Zelvia |
| MF | Park Yong-woo | 24 | 0 | Al-Ain |
| MF | Seo Min-woo | 4 | 0 | Gangwon FC |
| MF | Won Du-jae | 11 | 0 | Khor Fakkan |
| MF | Yang Min-hyeok | 2 | 0 | Coventry City |
| Forwards | ||||
| FW | Joo Min-kyu | 11 | 3 | Daejeon Hana Citizen |
| FW | Lee Ho-jae | 3 | 1 | Pohang Steelers |
| FW | Oh Se-hun | 10 | 2 | Shimizu S-Pulse |
All-Time Leaders
| Most Caps | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Stat | Years |
| Son Heung-min | 144 Caps | 2010–present |
| Cha Bum-kun | 136 Caps | 1972–1986 |
| 136 | 10 Caps | 1990–2002 |
| Lee Woon-jae | 133 Caps | 1994–2010 |
| Lee Young-pyo | 127 Caps | 1999–2011 |
| Kim Ho-kon | 124 Caps | 1971–1979 |
| Yoo Sang-chul | 122 Caps | 1994–2005 |
| Cho Young-jeung | 113 Caps | 1975–1986 |
| Top Scorers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Stat | Years |
| Son Heung-min | 144 Goals | 2010–present |
| Cha Bum-kun | 136 Goals | 1972–1986 |
| 136 | 10 Goals | 1990–2002 |
| Lee Woon-jae | 133 Goals | 1994–2010 |
| Lee Young-pyo | 127 Goals | 1999–2011 |
| Kim Ho-kon | 124 Goals | 1971–1979 |
| Yoo Sang-chul | 122 Goals | 1994–2005 |
| Cho Young-jeung | 113 Goals | 1975–1986 |