*This content was translated by AI.
Tunisia's match, which was considered one of the best warm-up opponents against the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup by the South Korean national soccer team, was virtually canceled. It would have been a warm-up match that would have helped each other if it had been made, but Tunisia reported that the Tunisian Football Association "rejected" the Korean Football Association's proposal.
Tunisian media LaPresse reported on the 22nd (Korea time) that the Tunisian national soccer team's schedule for the March and June warm-up matches was confirmed, adding, "The Tunisian Football Association rejected requests for warm-up matches from South Korea and Uruguay."
According to the Tunisian Football Association's announcement, the Tunisian national soccer team will go on an away trip to Canada in March, play two consecutive games against Haiti and Canada, and then head to Mexico, the "final site" after a European away match with Austria and Belgium in June. Unless additional warm-up matches are scheduled, Tunisia will play these four games before making the World Cup finals.
Given that even in Africa, the possibility of a warm-up match between South Korea and Tunisia has been highly predicted, the news of the confirmation of the schedule for the warm-up match without South Korea is regrettable. This is because South Korea had a good interest in preparing for South Africa in the same group in Group A of the World Cup finals and Tunisia against Japan in Group F of the World Cup finals.
As it happened, the FIFA rankings of South Korea and Japan were 22nd and 19th, respectively, and the FIFA rankings of South Africa and Tunisia were 60th and 47th, respectively. There was also something in common that South Korea played all three group games and Tunisia played the first and second games in Mexico. As Tunisia's expedition to Canada was confirmed in March, when South Korea headed to Europe, the possibility of a warm-up match in June seemed to be naturally weighed. It was also an opportunity to adapt to each other's intercontinental style that they will meet in the finals just before the World Cup.
However, as Tunisia decided to head to Europe in June following an expedition to Canada in March, the warm-up match between South Korea and Tunisia, which was highlighted by local African media, was canceled. Tunisia's away match in Belgium was confirmed on June 6, and South Korea's first match in the World Cup finals was on the 11th, only five days later, making it virtually impossible to achieve a dramatic warm-up match. Considering local reports that the Tunisian Football Association rejected South Korea's offer, it can be interpreted that the warm-up match negotiations actually failed.
This is not the only time that South Korea is missing its opponents in the warm-up match against the World Cup. South Korea will go on an expedition to Europe for the first time in two and a half years in March, and many European strong teams will head to other continents such as North, Central and South America. While other strong teams remaining in Europe quickly confirmed their opponents in March of the warm-up match, South Korea failed to hold a warm-up match with such a strong team. The same was true even after Japan confirmed its away trip to England, which is ranked fourth in the FIFA rankings.
There was no 'Japanese effect' to look forward to. The Netherlands, ranked seventh in the FIFA rankings, is in the same group as Japan and is a world-class strong team, so it was a great opportunity for Korea to play in an exhibition match. However, the Netherlands is in a situation where its warm-up matches with Norway and Ecuador have been confirmed. There is a possibility of a warm-up match in June with the Netherlands, but it remains to be seen whether it will actually happen.
Hong Myung-bo's March warm-up match schedule is the only one confirmed against Austria on April 1. Austria is two places lower than South Korea (22nd), and for South Korea, it is expected to be a warm-up match against the UEFA playoff pass D winners, including Denmark and the Czech Republic, who will be in Group A of the World Cup finals. In Japan, two consecutive games of Scotland and England have been confirmed, and teams such as Tunisia and the U.S. have been confirmed not only in March but also in June, and South Korea is still in a mystery even with the remaining warm-up matches in March. However, there have been recent reports in Ivory Coast that South Korea and Ivory Coast will play a neutral warm-up match.
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*This content was translated by AI.
