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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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Sports

Koreans train behind closed doors with Mexico looming

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Korean players trained behind closed doors Tuesday, two days before their second group stage match of the FIFA World Cup against Mexico. According to the Korea Football Association (KFA), Korea worked out for about 90 minutes at their training facility, Chivas Verde Valle, in Zapopan, near Guadalajara in western Mexico. The Taegeuk Warriors also trained behind closed doors two days prior to their first Group A contest against Czechia last week and went on to win that match 2-1. With Mexico having beaten South Africa 2-0 to begin their tournament as a co-host last week, the winner of the upcoming match will likely determine who will advance to the knockout round as the top dog out of Group A. The kickoff is at 7 p.m. Thursday (local time) at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, or 10 a.m. Friday (Korean time). The eve of the match will include the official prematch press conference for head coach Hong Myung-bo and a player to be named later, plus a training session open to media. According to KFA officials, Korea concentrated on sharpening their defensive and offensive ta

Jun 17, 2026By Yonhap
Koreans train behind closed doors with Mexico looming
Sports

Asian Games goes digital: Virtual taekwondo added for 2026

Virtual taekwondo is officially heading to the Asian Games, marking a major milestone for the digital discipline just days after a high-profile showcase in Italy. World Taekwondo announced Monday that virtual taekwondo has been added to the official program for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The inclusion was ratified by the Asian Games Organizing Committee Board and approved by the Olympic Council of Asia. The Asian Games competition is scheduled for Oct. 2 at the Toyohashi City General Gymnasium in Japan. It will feature a 16-player, single-elimination bracket open to male and female athletes between the ages of 17 and 35. Unlike traditional taekwondo, the technology-driven format is designed to remove traditional barriers such as weight class, age and gender. By focusing on technique and speed rather than raw physical force, it creates a structure that allows diverse athletes to compete on even terms. Competitors face off in a 4-by-4-meter physical space wearing VR headsets and five motion sensors on their upper bodies, knees and lower legs. Real-time motion-tracking technology t

Jun 16, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Asian Games goes digital: Virtual taekwondo added for 2026
Sports

Kim Si-woo seeking major success at US Open in midst of best PGA Tour season

Enjoying the best season of his career on the PGA Tour, Kim Si-woo will tee off at the third major tournament of the season in search of elusive success on the game's biggest stages. Kim will be one of three Koreans in the field at the U.S. Open starting Thursday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York. Kim, a four-time PGA Tour winner, is the top-ranked Korean player at No. 18, the highest position of his career. He has set a career high with eight top-10 finishes this season in 16 starts, including a pair of runner-up showings. Kim is No. 4 in the FedEx Cup points standings, the only player inside the top five without a victory in 2026. The 30-year-old has mostly been a non-factor at majors throughout his career, with just one top-10 finish in 36 appearances. This will be his 10th U.S. Open start, and his best performance to date came in his debut in 2017, when he tied for 13th at Erin Hills. He has missed the cut four times at the U.S. Open. The two other Koreans teeing off this week will be Im Sung-jae and Tom Kim. Im will make his ninth consecutive U.S. Open start. He h

Jun 16, 2026By Yonhap
Kim Si-woo seeking major success at US Open in midst of best PGA Tour season
Sports

Some Iranian Americans wave protest flags, others cheer as Iran play World Cup opener

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Iran kicked off their World Cup in Los Angeles on Monday, drawing 2-2 with New Zealand in front of a crowd that consisted of both fans cheering them on and Iranian Americans waving symbols of protest against the Tehran government. The run-up to the match had been one of extraordinary drama off the pitch, with the team playing on U.S. soil barely 24 hours after a peace deal was announced to end the war that began when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February. The footballers had flown into the U.S. on Sunday from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico. In Los Angeles — home to the biggest Iranian community outside Iran, many of whom fled the country after the Islamic Revolution — Iranian American football fans said they had been left torn between excitement at seeing the team on the world's biggest stage, anger at Tehran's crackdown on protesters and concern about Washington's bombing campaign. Though most Iran fans at the stadium passionately backed their team, many signalled opposition to the government in Tehran by holding up pre-revolutionary flags — t

Jun 16, 2026By Reuters
Some Iranian Americans wave protest flags, others cheer as Iran play World Cup opener
Sports

Manager for KBO's best team in June trying to stay in present

Trying to return to the postseason in South Korean baseball this year after missing out in 2025, the Doosan Bears have put themselves in the thick of the race by winning five consecutive series. They have the best record in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) so far in June, with an 8-3-1 (wins-losses-ties) mark entering Tuesday's game against the KT Wiz. At 33-31-2 for the year, the Bears are holding down the fifth and final postseason spot. Before hosting the second-ranked Wiz at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Bears manager Kim Won-hyong tried to stay on an even keel. "Obviously, we're playing better than earlier in the year," he said. "But the important thing is we haven't even played half of the season yet." After the Wiz, the Bears will take on first-place LG Twins on the weekend. "People say this week will be a tough test for us, and I think every week will be hard from here on," Kim said. "I think we're firing on all cylinders with our pitching and hitting at the same time. I just hope this will continue as we take on some really good teams." In addition to owning the KBO's bes

Jun 16, 2026By Yonhap
Manager for KBO's best team in June trying to stay in present
Sports

2026 World Cup hydration breaks turn into ad breaks as criticism mounts

FIFA’s newly introduced hydration break system for the 2026 World Cup is increasingly coming under fire, as criticism mounts that the breaks have essentially become cash-grab opportunities for broadcasters to air advertisements. British daily The Guardian reported Monday that a broadcasting mishap occurred during the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa, when U.S. broadcaster Fox cut to advertisements during a hydration break and failed to return to the game in time, resulting in viewers missing 10 seconds of play after the match resumed. Hydration breaks were first used at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when temperatures during matches rose above 32 degrees Celsius. At this year’s World Cup, FIFA decided to introduce three-minute breaks in each half of every match, regardless of the temperature, as a measure to protect players. But the breaks soon came under a critical gaze when broadcasters began using the breaks to air commercials. By simple math, three-minute breaks in each half amount to six minutes per match. Multiplied by 104, the total number of games, that adds up

Jun 16, 2026By Hankookilbo
2026 World Cup hydration breaks turn into ad breaks as criticism mounts
Sports

Injured players return to training for S. Korea ahead of Mexico match

ZAPOPAN, Mexico — With a couple of injured players back on the field Monday, South Korea trained as a full squad for the first time since arriving in their World Cup base camp in western Mexico. Defender Kim Tae-hyeon and midfielder Bae Jun-ho were both full participants in the training session at Chivas Verde Valle in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, with the Taegeuk Warriors gearing up for their second Group A match against Mexico. The kickoff is at 7 p.m. Thursday (local time) at Estadio Guadalajara, or 10 a.m. Friday (South Korean time). Bae had been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago on May 30 in Utah. Kim picked up an ankle injury of his own while training last Tuesday for the group stage match against Czechia. National team officials initially ruled Kim out of the remainder of the group stage, but the center back has recovered to a point where he will be available against Mexico. He is one of just two left-footed center backs on the team, along with Lee Gi-hyuk. With Kim not available, Lee played the full match against Czechia. Kim n

Jun 16, 2026By Yonhap
Injured players return to training for S. Korea ahead of Mexico match
Sports

Who has the most symmetrical facial features at 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolds across the United States, Canada and Mexico, an unusual ranking has drawn attention alongside the tournament's on-field action. Using facial analysis technology, artificial intelligence (AI) researchers compiled a list of the competition's "most attractive" players based on facial proportions. According to reports from Britain's Daily Mail and other media outlets, AI company DreamAI SRL analyzed the faces of select World Cup participants and found that Argentinian midfielder Rodrigo De Paul topped the list with a score of 74.18. Germany forward Kai Havertz finished second with 74.10 points, followed by England winger Noni Madueke in third with 73.29. Egypt captain Mohamed Salah ranked fourth with 73.27, while Brazil striker Endrick placed fifth with 73.25. Korean captain Son Heung-min recorded 73.24 points, placing sixth overall and finishing just 0.01 points behind Endrick. Fellow Korean Lee Kang-in ranked 15th. Ronaldo came in 45th with 70.98 points, while Brazil's Vinicius Junior was ranked 46th. The study

Jun 15, 2026By Kormedi.com
Who has the most symmetrical facial features at 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Sports

Gwanghwamun turns into stadium as Jongno hosts epic World Cup gatherings

In the heart of Seoul, one of Korea’s most iconic civic spaces is being recast as an open-air stadium, where thousands of fans are expected to gather to watch World Cup qualifiers together on a screen that normally carries advertising and cultural content. Jongno District said Monday that it will host three large-scale street cheering events at Gwanghwamun Square on June 19 and June 25, using the KT WEST digital display in Gwanghwamun Square’s advertising zone to broadcast matches featuring Korea’s national team live. The district said the kickoff event, held on Friday, marked the first time sports content was transmitted through the Gwanghwamun Square advertising zone, a system typically reserved for commercial and cultural media. Officials said the square and adjacent public areas, including Yukjo Madang and Nori Madang, will function as a unified viewing zone where fans can join to watch the games. The broadcasts will be accompanied by K-pop performances, artificial intelligence-driven stage effects and promotional giveaways, as the district seeks to turn matches into broader cu

Jun 15, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Gwanghwamun turns into stadium as Jongno hosts epic World Cup gatherings
Sports

South Korea back at work with Mexico on horizon

ZAPOPAN, Mexico — After enjoying a day off, South Korea returned to training Sunday to prepare for their next group stage match of the FIFA World Cup against Mexico. Both South Korea and Mexico won their first matches of Group A last week, with the former beating Czechia 2-1 and the latter blanking South Africa 2-0. South Korea and Mexico will square off at 7 p.m. Thursday at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, western Mexico, or 10 a.m. Friday (South Korean time). The winner will be in a prime position to progress to the knockout phase as the group winner. South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo ran his players through light recovery work Friday, the day after the opening win, and gave them a full day off Saturday. Sunday's session started with some conditioning work, followed by passing and shooting drills. A national team official said tactical work got under way in earnest Monday. Two players working their way back from ankle injuries, defender Kim Tae-hyeon and midfielder Bae Jun-ho, rode stationary bikes on the sidelines and didn't participate in the full session. Both players may be available

Jun 15, 2026By Yonhap
South Korea back at work with Mexico on horizon
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