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    Why is 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey, not Mexico's iconic Estadio Azteca?

    The final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will not be played at Mexico's iconic Estadio Azteca — widely regarded as one of football's greatest venues— but at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside New York City. At first glance, it seems like a surprising choice. Azteca has already hosted two World Cup finals. It witnessed Pelé lifting the trophy and Diego Maradona's legendary "Hand of God" goal, making it a living monument to World Cup history. It is also one of international football's most intimidating venues. Mexico has held 90 home internationals there, compiling a remarkable record of 70 wins, 17 draws and just three defeats. So why did FIFA choose MetLife Stadium instead? The choice of venue for a World Cup final is never based simply on who has the biggest stadium. It represents the face a host nation wants to present to the world — a space that encapsulates the message it hopes to deliver. Where the final is held often reveals what each World Cup values most. Brazil staged two World Cup finals (1950 and 2014) at the Maracanã, a stadium that embodies both

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Why is 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey, not Mexico's iconic Estadio Azteca?
  • Sports

    Defending champion Argentina reaches World Cup final by beating England 2-1

    2 MIN READBy AP
    Defending champion Argentina reaches World Cup final by beating England 2-1
  • Sports

    Son Heung-min returns to LAFC with big smile on his face

    2 MIN READBy Xportsnews
    Son Heung-min returns to LAFC with big smile on his face
  • Sports

    World Taekwondo sends federation flag into orbit ahead of 2027 world championships

    2 MIN READBy Jhoo Dong-chan
    World Taekwondo sends federation flag into orbit ahead of 2027 world championships
  • Sports

    Spain shuts down France and Kylian Mbappé, advances to World Cup final with 2-0 victory

    3 MIN READBy AP
    Spain shuts down France and Kylian Mbappé, advances to World Cup final with 2-0 victory
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

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Sports

Korea coach unable to pinpoint reasons behind deflating loss

Some 24 hours after Korea finished third in their group with a demoralizing loss at the FIFA World Cup, head coach Hong Myung-bo still couldn't pinpoint reasons behind his team's plight Thursday. Hong instead doubled down on his mea culpa approach, saying it was his fault as head coach that his players failed to execute their game plans. Korea returned to their base camp in Zapopan, western Mexico, on Thursday, a day after losing to South Africa 1-0 in another Mexican city of Guadalupe. Korea would have finished second in Group A and punched their ticket to the round of 32 with a win or a draw, but the 25th-ranked side got blanked by the 60th-ranked squad without putting up much of a fight. Korea, who previously beat Czechia 2-1 and lost to Mexico 1-0 in Zapopan, must now wait and see if they will end up as among the eight best third-place teams that will progress to the knockout stage. With Group E having completed their play Thursday and teams in Groups D and F to follow later, Korea ranked fifth with three points and a goal difference of -1. Before a training session at Chivas Verde V

Jun 26, 2026By Yonhap
Korea coach unable to pinpoint reasons behind deflating loss
Sports

Son Heung-min sorry to teammates for World Cup loss to South Africa

GUADALUPE, Mexico — For the first time in his international career that started in 2010, Son Heung-min began a World Cup match on the bench Wednesday. The veteran admitted to feeling helpless, as Korea struggled to generate much offense in the first half against South Africa in their final Group A match in northeastern Mexico. Son was subbed in at the start of the second half, with the match still scoreless. But then South Africa scored in the 63rd minute and hung on to win by 1-0 to book their first-ever knockout spot. Korea, relegated to third place, now must wait for the rest of the group stage to play out to see if they will be among the eight best third-place teams to qualify for the knockouts. "It's so frustrating that the match didn't go the way we wanted it to, and we as players are obviously very disappointed," Son said. "I feel sorry to my teammates that I didn't give them much help on the pitch." Son had been in the starting lineup in his 12 previous World Cup matches beginning at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Hong Myung-bo, the current national team head coach, was also in

Jun 25, 2026By Yonhap
Son Heung-min sorry to teammates for World Cup loss to South Africa
Sports

Could Son Heung-min play until 40?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be remembered as the tournament of seasoned veterans. Players who in previous generations would likely have retired to become coaches or television pundits are still competing on football's biggest stage. The tournament highlights how advances in sports science, coupled with meticulous self-care, have fundamentally changed the limits of athletic longevity. Players in their 40s have become a striking presence throughout this World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, scored twice against Uzbekistan in Portugal's Group K match Tuesday (local time), becoming the first player ever to score in six consecutive World Cups. Luka Modrić, 41, remains the heart of Croatia's midfield, while Edin Džeko, 40, continues to lead Bosnia and Herzegovina's attack. Among goalkeepers, Craig Gordon, 44, of Scotland, Manuel Neuer, 40, of Germany, Vozinha, 40, of Cape Verde, and Guillermo Ochoa, 41, of Mexico are all still competing at the highest level. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi, 39, has added another milestone by becoming the Men's World Cup's all-time leading scorer. Sports sci

Jun 25, 2026By Hankookilbo
Could Son Heung-min play until 40?
Sports

Korea coach shoulders blame for World Cup loss to South Africa

GUADALUPE, Mexico — Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo blamed himself and nobody else in the aftermath of a 1-0 loss to South Africa on Wednesday to close out the group stage at the FIFA World Cup. A win or a draw at Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, northeastern Mexico, would have sent the Taegeuk Warriors into the round of 32 as the runner-up in their group. Instead, Korea finished third in Group A with three points from a win and two losses, as they were unable to respond to Thapelo Maseko's goal in the 63rd minute. Korea must now wait for the rest of the groups to finish play to see where they end up in the rankings of third-place teams. In addition to the top two teams from each of 12 groups, the eight best third-place teams will progress to the knockout round. With Groups A, B and C having finished their group stage, Korea are fourth among No. 3 teams, though four nations have already bagged three points with one match remaining. "On a stage as big as this, the head coach is responsible for all the results," Hong said at his postmatch press conference. "Ultimately, I made wrong decisi

Jun 25, 2026By Yonhap
Korea coach shoulders blame for World Cup loss to South Africa
Sports

Lackluster Team Korea show little urgency in World Cup loss to South Africa

GUADALUPE, Mexico — Korea could not have picked a worse time to submit such a lackluster performance at the FIFA World Cup. Needing only a draw against South Africa on Wednesday in their final Group A match in northeastern Mexico, South Korea instead absorbed a 1-0 loss on a goal by Thapelo Maseko. The result left South Korea in third place in the group with three points. They opened the tournament by rallying to beat Czechia 2-1 on June 11, but they lost to Mexico 1-0 a week later. In the expanded, 48-team tournament, the eight best third-place teams out of 12 will progress to the knockouts. South Korea must now wait to see if they will advance after all, with Groups J, K and L set to finish up their play Saturday across the United States. With Mexico punching their knockout ticket thanks to that victory, South Korea still had a chance to advance to the round of 32 on Wednesday, as long as they avoided losing to 60th-ranked South Africa. However, losing is exactly what 25th-ranked South Korea did, while displaying a shocking lack of urgency. South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo held lon

Jun 25, 2026By Yonhap
Lackluster Team Korea show little urgency in World Cup loss to South Africa
Sports

Korea's World Cup goes from bad to worse

South Korea lost 1-0 to South Africa in Mexico, Wednesday (local time), and will now have to wait and see if it progresses to the Round of 32. After another poor display in Group A, if the team does end up going home, it is not likely to be missed by many at the World Cup. Needing just a point to finish second, Korea was unable to do so and now has to depend on other results to see if it can progress as one of the best third place teams. It should never have come to this. Coach Hong Myung-bo should thank Mexico as it could have been a lot worse. The host was already certain of top spot but still managed to defeat the Czech Republic. Had the Europeans won then Korea would be in last place in its group. Thapelo Maseko scored for South Africa — ranked 61, 38 places below Korea — just after the hour to send the team into the knockout stages for the first time. Korea just didn't have the imagination to come out ahead against a weaker opponent. More and more that 2-1 win over the Czechs in the opening game looks like it was because of the weakness of the European team than anything else. Aga

Jun 25, 2026By John Duerden
Korea's World Cup goes from bad to worse
Sports

Korea stuck awaiting fate after falling to South Africa

GUADALUPE, Mexico — Once in the driver's seat to advance to the knockout round at the FIFA World Cup, Koreans now find themselves at the mercy of other teams. This abrupt turn of fortune is self-inflicted, as world No. 25 Korea lost to 60th-ranked underdog South Africa 1-0 in their final Group A match Wednesday at Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, northeastern Mexico. Thapelo Maseko was the lone goal scorer, as South Africa advanced to the knockouts for the first time. With a combination of their loss and a Mexico victory over Czechia, Korea finished third in their group with three points. The Taegeuk Warriors opened the competition with a 2-1 win over Czechia on June 11 but then lost to Mexico 1-0 last Thursday. Mexico clinched the top spot in Group A with that victory, and Korea had a chance to join them in the knockouts as the Group A runner-up with a win or a draw against South Africa — regardless of the outcome in the Mexico-Czechia match. However, Korea blew the opportunity and they must now wait a few days to see how the remaining group matches will play out. With this year's tou

Jun 25, 2026By Yonhap
Korea stuck awaiting fate after falling to South Africa
Sports

Korea loses to South Africa to finish 3rd in World Cup group; knockout status in limbo

GUADALUPE, Mexico — Korea finished third in their group at the FIFA World Cup following a 1-0 loss to South Africa in northeastern Mexico on Wednesday, sending their status for the knockout round into limbo. Thapelo Maseko scored for South Africa in the 63rd minute and South Korea failed to respond at Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, as they suffered their second defeat in Group A. South Korea, world No. 25, finished third with three points from a win and two losses. The Taegeuk Warriors earlier defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 but fell to Mexico 1-0. Mexico clinched the top spot in Group A with that victory, and South Korea needed a win or a draw against 60th-ranked South Africa to join Mexico in the round of 32 as the Group A runner-up. However, South Africa leapfrogged South Korea to second place, while Mexico beat Czechia 3-0 to finish a perfect run through the group stage. With this year's tournament featuring 48 nations, up from the previous 32, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups earn automatic spots in the knockouts, along with the eight best third-place teams. With Groups

Jun 25, 2026By Yonhap
Korea loses to South Africa to finish 3rd in World Cup group; knockout status in limbo
Sports

Korea loses to South Africa, finishing 3rd in Group A

Korea fell to South Africa 1-0 on Wednesday (local time) for its second loss in Group A at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Thapelo Maseko scored the lone goal in the 63rd minute for South Africa.

Jun 25, 2026By Kwak Yeon-soo
Korea loses to South Africa, finishing 3rd in Group A
Sports

Thapelo Maseko scores for South Africa vs. Korea

Thapelo Maseko scored in the 63rd minute for South Africa, making it 1-0 against Korea.

Jun 25, 2026By Kwak Yeon-soo
Thapelo Maseko scores for South Africa vs. Korea
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