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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

    Inside Korea's fiercest football derbies: Local rivalries fuel K League's passion

    8 MIN READBy Lee Hae-rin
    Inside Korea's fiercest football derbies: Local rivalries fuel K League's passion
  • 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
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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

South Korea coaching hoping team will go beyond semifinals

ZAPOPAN, Mexico — During his illustrious playing career, South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo captained the country to an unlikely semifinal berth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup that South Korea co-hosted with Japan. No Asian country has gone that deep into a World Cup since. More than two decades later, Hong now hopes his current squad will go beyond the final four this time. Having defeated Czechia 2-1 in their first Group A match of this year's tournament, South Korea will take on co-host Mexico for the second match at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, western Mexico, at 7 p.m. Thursday (local time), or 10 a.m. Friday (South Korean time). The winner will be all but assured of a spot in the knockout phase. "We beat Czechia because our players didn't give up until the end, and all did their part really well. Their confidence is running high, and I hope it shows on the pitch tomorrow," Hong said at his prematch press conference at Estadio Guadalajara. "We reached the semifinals in 2002, and I hope the players here will break that record." Mexico, who beat South Africa 2-0 to begin their home

Jun 18, 2026By Yonhap
South Korea coaching hoping team will go beyond semifinals
Sports

Rain, altitude and 45,000 home fans: Korea braces for toughest World Cup test against Mexico

The Korean men's national football team faces what could be its toughest challenge of the World Cup group stage as it takes on host nation Mexico, as they must overcome a partisan home crowd, high altitude conditions and rainy weather in pursuit of a historic victory. Led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, Korea will face Mexico in its second Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 19 at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico. After defeating the Czech Republic in its opening match on June 12 to secure the country's first World Cup opener victory in 16 years, Korea can clinch its first-ever two-win start to a World Cup and lock up first place in the group with another victory. The task, however, comes with significant obstacles. The most immediate challenge will be the sea of green filling Guadalajara Stadium, which has an official capacity of 45,664. Shin Yeon-ho, head coach of Korea University and a member of Korea's celebrated semifinal team at the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship in Mexico, described Mexican supporters as among the most passionate in world football. "The entire

Jun 18, 2026By Hankookilbo
Rain, altitude and 45,000 home fans: Korea braces for toughest World Cup test against Mexico
Sports

Why pay $120? Guadalajara's streets are filled with $12 World Cup jerseys

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — During the FIFA World Cup in North America, Guadalajara has become a paradise for counterfeit football jerseys. A large share of the jerseys sold on the streets — and worn by local residents — are imitation products rather than official merchandise produced by Adidas. In the city where South Korea's group stage matches are being played, shops selling counterfeit jerseys are easy to find. Unlike in Korea, where such products are often concentrated in specific shopping districts, vendors in Mexico sell imitation jerseys almost everywhere — from supermarkets and street corners to areas outside national teams' base camps. Price is the biggest factor behind their popularity. Counterfeit jerseys typically sell for 200 to 500 pesos, compared with around 2,000 pesos (about $120) for an authentic shirt. Some knockoffs are considered higher quality than others, with prices varying depending on factors such as breathability, stitching quality and the materials used for team crests and logos. Despite their prevalence, many local residents see little problem with buying

Jun 18, 2026By Hankookilbo
Why pay $120? Guadalajara's streets are filled with $12 World Cup jerseys
Sports

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOKWhat Korean football team’s interview boycott reveals

Korea’s national football team has effectively turned its back on parts of the domestic press just days before a World Cup showdown with Mexico, a rare and public rupture that exposes a deeper trust crisis between players and legacy media in a country where fans now fact‑check reporters in real time. The rupture did not begin with tactics or results. It began with contempt, caught on a hot mic. On June 7, during a light pretraining jog at the national team’s camp, two male Korean journalists mocked some of the players, including captain Son Heung‑min. The footage, laced with sneers about military service exemptions and leadership, later surfaced on the YouTube channel of the TV network JTBC — the local holder of broadcasting rights for this year's World Cup — turning their backstage banter into public record. The Korea Football Association (KFA) reportedly summoned the reporters two days later and issued a reprimand behind closed doors. No clear, immediate apology came from the journalists, and the rift widened even as the team beat the Czech Republic last Friday. On Saturday

Jun 17, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
What Korean football team’s interview boycott reveals
Sports

Hwang In-beom: No longer an unsung hero

One of the best things about the World Cup is that billions of fans around the world are introduced to players that they may not be familiar with. Indeed, one British journalist was disappointed to find that midfielder Hwang In-beom was not some young prospect for the future but a 29-year-old who plays for Feyenoord in the Netherlands. While Koreans fans have long appreciated Hwang’ s talents, internationally he has fallen under the radar. However, that overlooked status officially ended on June 11 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, as the Daejeon native turned heads with his performance in Korea's 2-1 win over the Czech Republic. With the Europeans ahead 1-0 midway through the second half, it was looking bleak — but then Hwang scored an equalizing goal of real skill and composure before setting up the winning goal for Oh Hyeon-gyu ten minutes before the end of the game. If Hwang is in the same form against Mexico on Friday morning (Seoul time) then Korea could find itself in the knockout stages with one Group A game still remaining. The Mexicans will be keeping a close eye on the

Jun 17, 2026By John Duerden
Hwang In-beom: No longer an unsung hero
Sports

Lionel Messi ties Klose's World Cup scoring record with unforgettable hat trick for Argentina

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lionel Messi delivered his first World Cup hat trick while matching Miroslav Klose's career tournament scoring record Tuesday night, giving thousands of Argentina fans packed inside of Arrowhead Stadium for a match against Algeria a moment they will never forget. Messi scored his first goal in the opening minutes off a nifty feed from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the second early in the second half, and the third moments before subbing out to a standing ovation. The goals came 20 years to the day that Messi made his World Cup debut for Argentina in a match against Serbia and Montenegro — he scored in that one, too — and made him only the second player to score in five editions of the tournament. Messi has 16 goals in his six World Cup appearances, and it seems inevitable that Klose's record will fall in the coming weeks. The hat trick was the 61st of his career and his 11th while playing with the national team. It was the fifth straight World Cup game in which Messi has scored. The hat trick also upstaged two of soccer's other big stars — Kylian Mbappé

Jun 17, 2026By AP
Lionel Messi ties Klose's World Cup scoring record with unforgettable hat trick for Argentina
Sports

Korean football team stages media blackout over Son Heung-min insults

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Korea’s preparations for Thursday’s World Cup match against Mexico have been overshadowed by a rift between the players and the country's media following disparaging comments about captain Son Heung-min. The spat reportedly led to the resignation of one of the team’s media officers on Tuesday. The national team has yet to confirm the resignation, which has been reported by some of the media covering the Korean squad in Guadalajara. Access for the media had apparently been cut off after the comments against Son were caught on camera. Players reportedly refrained from speaking to Korean media outside official World Cup commitments, and scheduled interviews with players were canceled. Mexican media said there was a meeting between the team's media officers and the Korean media to discuss the incident. There was no media access scheduled on Tuesday. The pre-match news conference is scheduled for Wednesday. The Korean soccer association said it regretted “the inappropriate remarks made by some media personnel during the national football team’s training at the

Jun 17, 2026By AP
Korean football team stages media blackout over Son Heung-min insults
Sports

Korean 2-way prospect signs with Diamondbacks

A Korean two-way prospect has signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, forgoing a domestic league draft where he was projected as a top-three pick. The Diamondbacks announced Tuesday (U.S. time) that they have landed the 18-year-old player Eom Jun-sang during their international signing period. MLB.com reported that Eom agreed to a signing bonus of around $1.5 million. Eom's Seoul-based agency, Leeco Sports Agency, also confirmed the teenager's signing. "I'm really honored to have a chance to pursue my dream of playing in Major League Baseball," Eom said in a statement released by Leeco. "I want to thank the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for this great opportunity. I still have a lot of work to do, and I will take it one step at a time to reach the big leagues." Eom has excelled as a shortstop and a pitcher for both Duksoo High School in Seoul and Korea's junior national team. So far in 2026 for his school, Eom has batted .317/.443/.556 with three home runs and 20 RBIs in 18 games. On the mound, the right-hander has pitched to a 2.77 ERA and a 1-1 record in five outings covering 12 2/3 i

Jun 17, 2026By Yonhap
Korean 2-way prospect signs with Diamondbacks
Sports

No need for Team Korea to fear Mexico

Korea heads into the lion’s den to take on Mexico in Guadalajara late Friday morning Seoul time. Ever since the draw was made for the 2026 World Cup in December, everyone knew that this would be the toughest game. However, it is not as daunting as it could have been, as the Taegeuk Warriors have three points in the bank after a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic last week. With its final game against South Africa to come next week, Korea is in a good position. Had the opener ended in a loss — and that was a possibility before Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeong-gyu scored to negate a Czech lead — then the team would have desperately needed a result against Mexico and been under real pressure. Now, a draw would be fine, and even a defeat, as long as the performance was OK, would not be the end of the world — or the World Cup. A win, however, would be spectacular and a real statement against a Mexican team ranked 13th in the world, eight above Hong Myung-bo’s men. It would help Korea become the first team to secure a place in the Round of 32 in the new expanded format. There’s more. In i

Jun 17, 2026By John Duerden
No need for Team Korea to fear Mexico
Sports

Korea taking on co-host Mexico in pursuit of 2nd straight win

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Korea will try to win consecutive group stage matches for the first time in their FIFA World Cup history when they face Mexico this week. The kickoff between world No. 25 Korea and 14th-ranked Mexico will be at 7 p.m. Thursday (local time) at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, western Mexico, or 10 a.m. Friday (Korean time). Both teams won their first matches in Group A last week, with Mexico, one of the three co-hosts of the tournament, shutting down South Africa 2-0 and Korea coming from behind to beat Czechia 2-1. The winner of the upcoming match will be in the driver's seat to win Group A, with winnable matches against two clear underdogs — South Africa for Korea and Czechia for Mexico — on the horizon next week. History doesn't appear to be on Korea's side, though. Korea have never won their second match of a World Cup in their 11 previous tries, with four draws and seven losses. The drought includes a 2-1 loss to Mexico at the 2018 competition in Russia. The Taegeuk Warriors have won back-to-back matches at any point at a World Cup just once. In 2002, they be

Jun 17, 2026By Yonhap
Korea taking on co-host Mexico in pursuit of 2nd straight win
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