Korean announcement of World Cup base camp postponed on FIFA recommendation
Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, the site of two group stage matches for South Korea at the 2026 FIFA World Cup / AP-Yonhap
The South Korean football federation announced Saturday that the designation of the national team's base camp for this year's FIFA World Cup will be put on hold until further notice from the global governing body.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) had been scheduled to reveal South Korea's base camp during the upcoming World Cup, Saturday. With the country scheduled to play all three group stage matches in Mexico, the Taegeuk Warriors were expected to set up their home away from home in the North American country, one of the tournament's three co-hosts, along with the United States and Canada.
According to the KFA, Saturday, though, FIFA recommended World Cup participants withhold the announcement until camp sites for all participating teams are finalized.
There are still six spots remaining for the big tournament — four to be determined in European playoffs and two to be filled in interconfederation playoffs in March.
The KFA submitted the list of its preferences for the base camp site to FIFA last week, including two candidate sites in Guadalajara in western Mexico. South Korea will play two of their three Group A matches there, with the one other match being in Monterrey.
With Guadalajara situated some 1,500 meters above sea level, South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo has spoken of the need to take a "scientific approach" when choosing the base camp site and to travel to the Mexican city early to give his players enough time to get acclimated to the high altitude.