The grass at Paju NFC, which was visited after a staggering 20 months, was in excellent condition.

The soccer national team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Kuwait in the 10th match of the Asian third qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 10th.

Korea achieved a 2-0 win in the away match against Iraq on the 6th, thanks to consecutive goals from Kim Jin-kyu and Oh Hyun-kyu. With this, Korea recorded 5 wins and 4 draws (19 points) and secured a spot in the World Cup finals with one match remaining.

Korea is preparing for the match against Kuwait in a comfortable situation, having already secured a spot in the World Cup finals. Coach Hong Myung-bo noted that he plans to test new players. Additionally, he declared an intention to create a festive atmosphere celebrating their World Cup qualification in front of the home fans.

The national team gathered at Paju NFC at 4 p.m. on the 8th for the first time in a long while. It had been 20 months since the tenure of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann in October 2023. The contract between Paju NFC and the Korea Football Association will expire on January 23, 2024. Afterward, the national team stayed in a hotel in Seoul and moved between various training grounds.

However, the sports facility, excluding the stadium, was inadequate. The facilities and equipment in the main building used by the Korea Football Association were all emptied out. A Korea Football Association official explained, "The internet wasn’t working, and there was no drinking water, so we had to bring some. We also had difficulties since it had been a long time since we were here."

The Paju NFC, visited again after 20 months, remained exactly the same as before. In particular, the grass, which is most essential for training, was in excellent condition due to almost no use and complete renovations. It was in such good shape that it looked like a carpet was laid out. It completely washed away the stigma of being known as "clumpy grass."

The problem was that the ancillary facilities, excluding the stadium, were insufficient. The facilities and supplies from the Korea Football Association's main building were all cleared out. A Korea Football Association official explained, "The internet wasn’t working, and there was no drinking water, so we had to bring some. We also had difficulties since it had been a long time since we were here."

In the past, players would finish all training preparations inside and simply come out. Now, players commute to Paju, carry their bags, unpack at the training ground, tape themselves up, and put on their soccer shoes. This was due to the lack of a separate locker room space. Even though it was early June, the intense sunlight reminded them of summer. Apart from under the tree shade, there were no other places to rest.

The press members also faced many variables, as the press room building previously used was closed, forcing them to write articles in an auditorium. They were also unable to use public internet. Nevertheless, since it was so familiar to them, there were no major inconveniences at Paju NFC.

Now, the Korea Football Association will enter a new era when the Cheonan Soccer Comprehensive Center is completed in September. It will fully replace the role that the existing Paju NFC served. Players will no longer need to move between hotels and can complete all their training in one location.

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