The Korea national team has set foot in Iraq.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on the 3rd (Korean time) that "the A national team arrived at Basra International Airport in Iraq at 5 p.m. local time on the 2nd." Departing from Incheon International Airport, the team arrived at the destination after approximately 11 hours of flight and immediately moved to their accommodation, facing the scorching heat of 44 degrees Celsius.
The team completed a group photo in front of the welcome banner prepared by the Korean Embassy in Iraq immediately after arriving at the airport, and headed to their accommodation under strict security accompanied by two armored buses, escort vehicles, and police escort. Thorough protective measures were implemented considering the local security situation.
Cho Yu-min (Sharjah), Kwon Kyung-won (Correcón Club), Park Yong-woo (Al Ain), and Won Du-jae (Correcón Club) arrived in Basra ahead of the team and joined them at their accommodation.
Lee Kang-in (24, PSG), who participated in the UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan in Munich, Germany, on the 1st, is expected to arrive in Basra on the morning of the 3rd local time and join training immediately.
The first official training will take place at 9 p.m. local time on the 3rd. The KFA explained, "Considering the heat conditions, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 45 degrees, we adjusted the training time as late as possible."
Korea will face Iraq in the final match of the second Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup at 3:15 a.m. (Korean time) on the 6th in Basra, Iraq. Although it is expected that there will be no issues qualifying for the finals of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup unless there is a major upset, it is a match where the tension cannot be relaxed due to the variables of an away game in the Middle East.
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