South Korea Launch World Cup Preparations with High-Altitude Camp in Salt Lake City

South Korea Launch World Cup Preparations with High-Altitude Camp in Salt Lake City

Head coach Hong Myung-bo has assembled his squad stateside. Nine players — six from South Korea's domestic K League and three from England's EFL Championship — alongside three training partners arrived in Salt Lake City on Monday, launching the national team's pre-World Cup training camp before their tournament opener against Czechia on June 11.

The location choice is strategic. Situated 1,300 metres above sea level, Salt Lake City provides the perfect environment for altitude acclimatisation — a crucial factor since South Korea will contest two of their three Group A fixtures in Guadalajara, Mexico, another high-elevation venue. These preparation camps often prove more valuable than friendly match results. Teams that can't adjust to the thinner air in Guadalajara start at an immediate disadvantage.

Current roster and incoming additions

The initial nine-player group in Utah represents a blend of domestic talent and lower-tier European professionals: K League representatives Lee Dong-gyeong, Jo Hyeon-woo, Kim Jin-gyu, Song Bum-keun, Kim Moon-hwan and Lee Gi-hyuk, complemented by Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City) and Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham City). The Europe-based stars will join the camp next week.

Team captain Son Heung-min remains the high-profile absentee. He'll complete one final MLS fixture with Los Angeles FC this Sunday before making the brief journey to Utah — an unusually convenient arrangement in international football scheduling.

Training sessions will take place at Real Salt Lake's training grounds and the University of Utah campus before the squad faces Trinidad and Tobago (May 30) and El Salvador (June 3) in preparation matches at BYU South Field in Provo. While neither opponent — ranked 102nd and 100th globally — presents a significant challenge, accumulating match minutes in high-altitude conditions remains the primary objective.

Navigating a competitive group

South Korea enter the tournament ranked 25th worldwide, placed in Group A with Mexico, Czechia and South Africa. Hong has emphasized qualifying "in the best possible position" — phrasing that carries significant tactical implications under the expanded 48-team format.

The stakes extend beyond bragging rights: the Group A champion remains in Mexico for the round of 32. The second-place finisher heads to Los Angeles. A third-place finish — provided they advance as one of eight best third-place qualifiers — means travelling to Seattle or Boston for an immediate knockout confrontation with a group winner. The tournament structure now rewards group champions more substantially than previous formats.

  • Group A opener: South Korea vs Czechia, June 11 in Guadalajara (11am KST June 12)
  • Match 2: South Korea vs Mexico, June 18 in Guadalajara (10am KST June 19)
  • Match 3: South Korea vs South Africa, June 24 in Monterrey (10am KST June 25)

South Korea has advanced to the round of 16 twice at World Cups held abroad — South Africa 2010 and Qatar 2022. Escaping this group represents the initial hurdle. Finishing atop it would dramatically reshape their knockout stage trajectory.