Why does winning the Asian Games men’s football final matter so much for South Korea?

Gold would give the players exemption from 18 to 21 months of military service. For many in the U-23 squad, that also removes a major obstacle to moving to Europe and protects their professional careers.

How did South Korea and Japan reach the Asian Games men’s football final?

Korea advanced by beating China 2-1 in the semifinal, while Japan got past Uzbekistan in a penalty shootout after extra time. The final is being played at Toyota Stadium in Japan, so the hosts also enter with home support.

Who are the key South Korean players mentioned for the final against Japan?

Eom Ji-sung and Yang Hyun-jun are the overage players named in the squad. Eom has been in strong form, scoring three goals against Qatar and providing both assists in the semifinal against China.

Japan once more stands in way of Korea's golden dream

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Summary

South Korea will face Japan in the Asian Games men’s football final on Saturday in Toyota, Japan, aiming for a fourth straight gold medal. Gold would also bring military-service exemption for most of the U-23 squad, including overage players Eom Ji-sung and Yang Hyun-jun. Japan reaches the final at home after beating Uzbekistan on penalties, while Korea advanced by edging China 2-1.

Key Facts

Korea beat China 2-1 in the semifinal on Wednesday after leading through difficult phases of the match.
Eom Ji-sung scored a hat trick in Korea’s 4-1 win over Qatar and assisted both goals against China.
Japan reached the final after defeating Uzbekistan on penalties following a draw and extra time.
The men’s football final is set for Saturday at Toyota Stadium in Toyota, with Japan enjoying home support.
A gold medal in the Asian Games exempts players from 18 to 21 months of military service, a major benefit for the squad.

By John Duerden

Published Oct 2, 2026 2:44 pm KST

South Korean players wave to the crowd after their 2-1 win over China in the men's football semifinal match at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan, Wednesday. Yonhap

For the third successive time, South Korea will face Japan in the final of the Asian Games on Saturday, and fans at home will be hoping that the young Taeguk Warriors will take gold for the fourth successive tournament.

This could be the toughest one yet. Japan has lost the last two finals, and this time the game is on home ground. There should be a big crowd in the Toyota Stadium, but the pressure is on Korea too. Gold equals exemption from the 18-21 months of military service that all able-bodied males have to undertake.

For the majority of the roster — this is primarily a U-23 tournament — this can remove a major obstacle to a big move to Europe. For others already in Europe, such as two of the three overage players allowed, Eom Ji-sung and Yang Hyun-jun, there will be no need to return home by the time they are 28 to report and play for Gimcheon Sangmu in the K League.

It is not a surprise that Korea has made it this far. Some teams treat the tournament as a chance to develop young players — like Japan, for example. All the players are 21 or under and there are no overage stars. Korea, in contrast, has called up as much experience as possible, including stars such as Eom.

The Swansea City winger has been in great form in England’s second tier so far this season and has brought his talents to Japan and if he continues then he could be the player to take his team all the way to gold. He scored a hat trick in the opening game 4-1 win over Qatar and then produced the assist for both goals in the 2-1 win over China in the semifinal on Wednesday.

That was a good battle and perhaps the kind of game that Korea needed. The Chinese are improving, especially at youth level, and actually took the lead. After strolling through the group stage by comfortably defeating Qatar and Saudi Arabia and then thrashing Vietnam 4-0 in the quarterfinal, Korea had not been tested. China provided the test and at times it was physical.

Japan also had to fight to get past Uzbekistan, which had looked impressive, in the other semifinal. After a draw and then extra time, which may make the host a little more tired, Japan triumphed on penalties. It could be said that the experience of winning that way could also be useful if the final ends all square.

That all remains to be seen. This has been a bad year for Korean soccer after the disaster that was the World Cup in the summer. That early elimination was followed by parliamentary hearings, police raids and some unwelcome revelations. The senior national team is trying to rebuild, but lost 4-1 to Uruguay a few days ago. Gold at the Asian Games will not fix any of the issues that are facing soccer at the moment but will provide some welcome positive headlines.

There is a bigger prize on offer for the players — a chance to win exemption from 18 months of military service and focus on their short professional careers in the knowledge that they can go where they want. Japan will be desperate to win on home soil and not fall to a third successive defeat against the old rival. It should be quite a game.

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