Preparation for 2026 World Cup starts in North America

Midfielder Jens Castrop, second from right, new member of the Korean national men’s football team, joins teammates at their accommodation facility in New Jersey, Monday, ahead of Sunday's friendly match against the U.S. as part of 2026 World Cup preparations. The Bundesliga footballer is the first foreign-born member of the senior national men’s team. Yonhap

Preparation for the 2026 World Cup starts Saturday in New Jersey as South Korea takes on the United States. Four days later, the Taegeuk Warriors move to Nashville to meet Mexico. To see the team in action in the home of country music is a little unusual, but coach Hong Myung-bo won’t have time to hit the bars or go to a concert. There is some serious soccer to be played and issues to be addressed.

One is regarding the big names. Star midfielder Lee Kang-in has been struggling for minutes on the field at Paris Saint-Germain. There have been rumors and reports of moves elsewhere — to England or Italy — but none materialized, which is a worry for Korea’s most creative and skillful player. The same is true of central defender Kim Min-jae. He plays for one of Europe’s biggest clubs in Bayern Munich and is also struggling for playing time at the moment.

There is still a long way to go, but if Korea is going to impress at next summer’s tournament, it is going to need its best players sharp. It is not a bad thing if they don’t play every game and are able to get some rest, but if they don’t play much at all, then there could be problems.

Hwang In-beom is another crucial player, but the midfielder is injured and won’t make the trip to North America. And then there is someone who is already there. Son Heung-min is playing for Los Angeles FC. Major League Soccer, the American league, is not at the level of the English Premier League, where Son had 10 successful years with Tottenham Hotspur, but it is competitive enough to keep the player ready — yet not so much that he will be exhausted when the tournament starts.

Much of the attention, of course, will be on Jens Castrop. The 22-year-old is set to be the first foreign-born player to represent South Korea. Born and raised in Germany, Castrop plays in the Bundesliga for Borussia Monchengladbach and offers a different look in the midfield.

Korea needs a boost. The World Cup qualification campaign may have resulted in an 11th successive appearance on the biggest sporting stage of all, but it wasn’t that impressive. Korea did just enough, and coach Hong has some work to do to persuade fans in the nation that he is the right man for the job.

These will be two valuable games. There are three hosts for the World Cup: the U.S., Mexico and Canada. To go and play in one of these countries is useful preparation. It is also good to play against two of the host nations. Neither the U.S. or Mexico needed to qualify, so they will treat the games as semi-competitive, which is useful for the visitors too.

Hong is talking of experimenting with a three-man defense after using a four-man unit during qualification. These is nothing wrong with trying a few things. Most important is the team's performance. Korea does not have to go to the United States and win, but fans would appreciate some signs that the team is developing and the coach is working towards a plan.