52.3 F
Los Angeles
Monday, February 16, 2026

Korea Secures 11th Consecutive World Cup Qualification With Win Over Iraq

Korea’s national soccer team defeated Iraq 2-0 on June 6, clinching a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and marking its 11th consecutive qualification since the 1986 Mexico tournament.

Jin-kyu Kim celebrates after scoring South Korea's first goal against Iraq during 2026 World Cup qualifiers
Jin-kyu Kim celebrates after scoring South Korea’s first goal against Iraq in Basra during a 2026 World Cup qualifier. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

The match was held at Basra International Stadium in Iraq as part of the Asian Group B third-round qualifiers. The winning goal came in the 63rd minute of the second half, scored by Jin-kyu Kim of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. The team was led at the time by head coach Myung-bo Hong.

With this result, Korea has now qualified for the World Cup 11 times in a row since the 1986 tournament in Mexico, and 12 times total, including its first appearance at the 1954 tournament in Switzerland.