South Korea and Japan will play international friendly matches against the United States and Mexico ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
The national teams of both countries, regarded as the top forces in Asia, can compare their current strengths, even if it's not a direct confrontation. In this regard, this friendly match is expected to be an important benchmark for the World Cup, which is just one year away.
The Korea Football Association noted on the 14th that "Head coach Hong Myung-bo's national team will face North American teams, the United States and Mexico, in September at the World Cup finals stage in the U.S."
South Korea will face the U.S. team, ranked 16th in the FIFA rankings, at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey at 5 p.m. local time on Sept. 6 (6 a.m. on Sept. 7 in Korea) before playing Mexico, ranked 17th, on Sept. 9. The venue and kickoff time will be confirmed later.
It has been two years since the South Korean national team last played overseas friendlies against Wales and Saudi Arabia in September 2023. The upcoming match against the U.S. will mark the first encounter in 11 years since they last faced off in February 2014 in Los Angeles. The national team has faced Mexico twice in the World Cup finals (1998, 2018) and lost both times.
On the same day, Japan's head coach Hajime Moriyasu also announced that Japan will meet the U.S. and Mexico. The schedule is nearly identical to South Korea's. While South Korea takes on the U.S., Japan will face Mexico in Oakland, Los Angeles, and three days later, when South Korea meets Mexico, Japan will compete against the U.S. in Columbus, Ohio.
This match involving the four countries is expected to serve as an opportunity to indirectly compare the current strengths of top Asian teams, South Korea and Japan, with the strong North American teams.
In particular, this friendly, held in the host country of the 2026 World Cup, may serve as a testing ground for Hong Myung-bo's team to assess tactical gaps and player utilization against the host nations.
Meanwhile, the U.S. team, led by head coach Mauricio Pochettino, is drawing attention as he was the mentor of Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham). Pochettino was at the helm when Son transferred from Bayer Leverkusen to Tottenham in the summer of 2015.
Pochettino reached the UEFA Champions League final alongside Son during the 2018-2019 season. In the 2023-2024 season, Pochettino, who faced Son's Tottenham as the head coach of Chelsea, will now lead the U.S. team and encounter Son Heung-min in an international match.
South Korea leads the all-time series against the U.S. with five wins, three draws, and three losses. In their most recent matchup in February 2014 in LA, South Korea lost 0-2. The record against Mexico stands at four wins, two draws, and eight losses, with the most recent encounter being a 2-3 defeat in Austria in November 2020.
Meanwhile, the South Korean national team currently leads Group B in the 2026 North American World Cup Asia third qualifying round with four wins and four draws (16 points), ahead of Jordan and Iraq. Drawing in the away match against Iraq in Basra on June 6 will secure their place in the World Cup finals.
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