From saunas to high altitudes: How Korea is preparing for 2026 World Cup

Hong Myung-bo, left, head coach of Korea's national football team, and captain Son Heung-min participate in a team training session at Chivas Valle Verde in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, June 7. Yonhap

By Kormedi.com

• Published Jun 9, 2026 12:00 AM KST

Physical, psychological sessions underway ahead of Guadalajara challenge

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With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America opening later this week, Korea's national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, has completed a specialized adaptation program designed to prepare players for the high altitude and hot, humid conditions awaiting them in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The team held a pre-tournament training camp near Salt Lake City, Utah, from May 18 for approximately two weeks. Salt Lake City sits at an elevation of about 1,460 meters above sea level, similar to Guadalajara, where Korea will play its first two group stage matches at an elevation of 1,571 meters.

At high altitudes, lower air density can reduce the amount of oxygen available to the body. A sudden move to higher elevations may cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea and decreased athletic performance. To help players adapt, the coaching staff regularly monitored oxygen saturation levels and adjusted individual training loads based on the data.

Another key element of the team's preparation was heat acclimation training. After workouts, players intentionally exposed themselves to high temperatures by soaking in portable hot tubs or using sauna facilities.

The program was designed to prepare for Guadalajara's climate, where daytime temperatures typically reach 31 to 32 degrees Celsius and humidity levels range from 60 to 66 percent.

In effect, the national team was undergoing a form of extreme heat adaptation training. The human body does not immediately adjust to hotter weather. It generally takes one to two weeks for temperature regulation and sweating mechanisms to adapt and function efficiently. That is why the players began exposing themselves to heat well before the tournament.

Once the body becomes acclimated, sweating starts earlier and works more efficiently, while increases in core body temperature become less severe. As a result, heart rate and energy expenditure during exercise can decrease, helping athletes maintain performance.

Heat acclimation is also associated with increased production of heat shock proteins. These proteins are part of the body's defense system and are produced when cells are exposed to stressors such as high temperatures, infection or oxidative damage. They help repair damaged proteins and maintain normal cellular function.

Experts caution, however, that ordinary people should not attempt to replicate the athletes' program by spending excessive time in saunas or other extremely hot environments. A safer approach is to gradually increase time spent walking or exercising outdoors during early summer and slowly extend exposure to warmer conditions.

Older adults and people with cardiovascular disease should be especially careful, as they face a higher risk of dehydration and heat-related illness.

The team's chief physician for the tournament is Song Joon-seop, who also served as team doctor during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He is overseeing the players' physical health throughout the competition.

Mental health support is also part of the preparation. Han Deok-hyun, a sports psychiatrist at Chung-Ang University, has joined the team as a mental performance coach. He is conducting consultations with players and coaching staff, helping manage anxiety, stress and the psychological fatigue that can accumulate during a long tournament.

Korea concluded its pre-tournament camp with a 1-0 victory over El Salvador in a friendly match last Thursday (local time). The team departed for Guadalajara on Saturday for final preparations before competition begins.

Korea is scheduled to face the Czech Republic in its opening grouplstage match on June 11, the day the World Cup officially kicks off.

With another summer of intense heat forecast this year, experts say the most important lesson for the general public is not to push through strenuous exercise, but to give the body time to adjust gradually to the changing season.

This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.