South Korea's national football team failed to advance to the round of 32 in the 2026 World Cup on Sunday [1, 2].

The elimination marks a disappointing end to the campaign for the squad led by coach Hong Myung-bo, ending hopes of a deep run in the tournament hosted across North America and Central America.

The team's fate was decided at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, U.S., following a result in a separate group match [2]. The Democratic Republic of the Congo secured a 3-1 comeback victory against Uzbekistan [1, 2]. This result shifted the standings for teams finishing third in their respective groups.

Because of the Congo DR win, South Korea dropped to ninth place among the third-place teams [1]. The tournament features 48 teams in total [2], with only 32 advancing to the knockout stage [1]. Congo DR finished the group stage with four points [1], which was enough to push South Korea out of the qualification threshold.

Earlier reports during the group stage had suggested the team's chances of advancing were high after a victory over the Czech Republic. However, the final calculations of the third-place rankings confirmed the exit.

"Our national football team has ultimately failed to advance to the round of 32 of the North and Central America World Cup," Heo Jae-won said [1].

“South Korea dropped to ninth place among the third-place teams”

This elimination highlights the volatility of the expanded 48-team tournament format, where advancement can depend on results between other nations. For South Korea, failing to secure a top-two spot in their group left them vulnerable to the third-place ranking system, which ultimately favored the Democratic Republic of the Congo.