South Korea at the 2026 World Cup

Group exit

South Korea did not qualify for the World Cup 2026 knockout stage. South Korea finished third in Group A with 3 points from 5.09 group-stage xPts (Δ -2.09).

South Korea have 3 points from 5.09 xPts, a clear group-stage case of results trailing the chances.

Next for South Korea

Group table

Group A finish

3 points from 5.09 group-stage xPts. Official group rank decides qualification.

Quick answers

Group exitDid South Korea qualify for the World Cup 2026 knockouts?
South Korea did not qualify for the World Cup 2026 knockout stage. South Korea finished third in Group A with 3 points from 5.09 group-stage xPts (Δ -2.09).
Deserved betterHow lucky or unlucky were South Korea in the World Cup 2026 group stage?
Group-stage totals: 3 points from 5.09 xPts (points luck -2.09) and 3 goals conceded from 2.52 xGA (defensive luck -0.48). The group-stage match-by-match xG table below shows how South Korea's group-stage luck built game by game.
Group finishWhere did South Korea finish in Group A?
South Korea finished third in Group A with 3 points from 5.09 group-stage xPts (Δ -2.09).
xG by stageWhat are South Korea's group, knockout and total xG numbers?
South Korea have 4.11 group-stage xGF and 2.52 group-stage xGA. No knockout xG is recorded for them yet.
Best xG matchWhat was South Korea's best xG match?
South Korea's highest-xGF match was 2–1 vs Czechia: 2.30 xG for and 0.83 xG against.

xG by stage

StageMatchesGoalsxGF / xGAxGDxPtsScope
Group stage3234.11 / 2.52+1.595.09Official group-table scope
Total3234.11 / 2.52+1.595.09All completed xG-backed matches

Group-stage match receipts

Schedule context

South Korea are +1.59 xGD through 3 xG matches against opponents averaging 27.0/48 in the World Cup field and FIFA #37.3 globally; led xG against a mid-ranked opponent field.

GroupGroup A · 3rd in group
Knockout statusGroup exit Group-stage exit
Published FIFA rankFIFA #32 · 29th of 48 World Cup teams
xG vs scheduleAvg opponent field rank 27.0 / 48 · Avg opponent FIFA #37.3 · led xG against a mid-ranked opponent field
Group-stage played / record3 · 1W 0D 2L
Group-stage points3
Group-stage expected points (xPts)5.09
Group-stage Δ (Points − xPts)-2.09
Group-stage goals for / against2 / 3
Group-stage xG for / against4.11 / 2.52
Group-stage finishing (Goals − xG)-2.11
Group-stage defensive luck (xGA − GA)-0.48

Where South Korea sit on the total xG luck quadrant

Riding their luckClinical, leakyWasteful, solidDeserved betterFinishing — goals minus xG →Defensive luck — xGA minus GA ↑
Where South Korea sit across all xG-backed matches so far — finishing luck (goals − xG) across, defensive luck (xGA − goals conceded) up; the crosshair is zero, exactly as the chances suggest. On the balance of play they are deserved better.

See South Korea on the full interactive luck quadrant →

Best and worst group-stage xG matches

Best xG performance

South Korea 2–1 Czechia

South Korea had their strongest chance profile against Czechia, winning the xG battle 2.30–0.83.

Group-stage match by match

+0.71v Czechia-1.65@ Mexico-1.15@ South Afr…
Group-stage match-by-match luck — points taken minus expected points (xPts) each game. Green = took more than the chances deserved, red = deserved more.
DateMatchScoreGroup xGxPtsΔ
11 Junev Czechia212.30–0.832.29+0.71
18 June@ Mexico010.91–0.531.65-1.65
24 June@ South Africa010.90–1.161.15-1.15

Δ here is per group-stage match: the points South Korea took that game minus their expected points (xPts) for it. Negative = robbed, positive = fortunate.

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