The Hong Myung-bo squad departed without a departure ceremony, arriving at the pre-World Cup camp in Salt Lake City, USA.

*This content was translated by AI.

The Hong Myung-bo squad, set to compete in the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup, has arrived at its pre-camp in Salt Lake City, USA.

According to the Korea Football Association on the 19th, head coach Hong Myung-bo and the coaching staff, along with nine players, departed the previous day through Incheon International Airport and set foot on U.S. soil via Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah.

The players who arrived that day included six K League players: Lee Dong-gyeong and Cho Hyun-woo (both from Ulsan HD), Song Beom-geun, Kim Jin-gyu (both from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon Hana Citizen), and Lee Ki-hyeok (Gangwon FC). They were joined by overseas-based players Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), and Baek Seung-ho (Birmingham City), who had returned home after completing their club schedules to rest.

Additionally, goalkeeper Yoon Gi-wook (FC Seoul), selected as a training partner for the Hong Myung-bo squad, and center-back Jo Wi-je and midfielder Kang Sang-yoon (Jeonbuk) accompanied the team. Yoon Gi-wook will travel with the Hong Myung-bo squad through the World Cup finals and participate in training, while Jo Wi-je and Kang Sang-yoon will join only for the pre-camp in the U.S. before returning home.

Other overseas-based players, aside from the initial group, will join the Hong Myung-bo squad sequentially in the U.S. after completing their scheduled club commitments before the World Cup or as their injury rehabilitation progresses.

For example, captain Son Heung-min (LAFC) is scheduled to join the team on the 25th after completing his club schedule against Seattle Sounders in the 15th round of Major League Soccer (MLS). Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) is expected to join the Hong Myung-bo squad in early next month after playing in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final against Arsenal at the end of this month, as his club has reached the UCL final.

Following the announcement of the 26th-player final World Cup roster on the 16th, the team moved quickly to the pre-camp without a domestic departure ceremony to adapt rapidly to the "high-altitude" conditions in Guadalajara, Mexico, where the first and second group stage matches of the World Cup will be held. The chosen pre-camp site, Salt Lake City, is a high-altitude area at approximately 1,460 meters above sea level, known to have an environment similar to Guadalajara, Mexico (1,500 meters above sea level).

Additionally, since South Korea, which is in Group A of the group stage, has its first World Cup group stage match earlier than other teams, head coach Hong Myung-bo's plan is to move to the decisive location, Mexico, as quickly as possible to adjust their condition.

Since more time is needed to conduct "full-strength training," the Hong Myung-bo squad will focus on adjusting their condition during the early part of the pre-camp. It is expected that after overseas-based players join in large numbers following the completion of their club schedules this weekend, the team will begin serious tactical preparations for the World Cup.

In addition to training, the Hong Myung-bo squad will play two friendly matches: against Trinidad and Tobago, ranked 102nd in the FIFA rankings, at 10 a.m. on the 31st, and against El Salvador, ranked 100th, at 10 a.m. on the 4th of next month. The day after the El Salvador match, the team will move to the "decisive location" base camp in Guadalajara, Mexico, for final training. The Hong Myung-bo squad will face Czech Republic at 11 a.m. on the 12th, Mexico at 10 a.m. on the 19th, and South Africa at 10 a.m. on the 25th in Group A matches.

Earlier, at the press conference announcing the roster, head coach Hong Myung-bo stated, "There are many changes in this World Cup. Variables such as travel distance, climate, time difference, and match operation methods are diverse. The key to the World Cup is controlling and responding to variables. We will strive to turn variables into opportunities rather than crises. We will encounter the variable of high altitude from the group stage and have prepared for this specifically. We have selected players equipped to handle various variables." He also added, "South Korea has always fought within the variables of the World Cup. Therefore, this World Cup is a good opportunity to cause an upset. We will prepare well until the final moment."

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*This content was translated by AI.