[Official] 'North-South Korea football match cancelled' South Korea drawn in Group A of U20 Asian Cup qualifiers with Kyrgyzstan and others

*This content was translated by AI.

The South Korea Under-20 national football team has been drawn into Group A of the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers alongside Kyrgyzstan and others.

Led by head coach Kim Jeong-su, the South Korea U20 national team was drawn into Group A with Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines, and Lebanon at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the 28th (Korea time).

As the top seed in Pot 1 based on results from the last three tournaments (2018, 2023, and 2025), South Korea was drawn into the same group as Pot 2 team Kyrgyzstan, which applied to host the qualifiers, Pot 3 team the Philippines, and Pot 4 team Lebanon. Meanwhile, Pot 2 teams Qatar, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as Pot 3 team North Korea, were avoided. The Group A qualifiers will be held in Kyrgyzstan in August or September.

In this tournament's qualifiers, 32 teams are divided into eight groups. The top team from each group and the top seven second-place teams (excluding the lowest-ranked second-place team among the eight) will advance to the finals. China will participate in the finals as the host nation. The tournament is scheduled for March to April next year.

The South Korea U20 national team was eliminated in the semifinals of the 2023 and 2025 tournaments for the second consecutive time. After winning the 2012 tournament, the team now aims to reclaim the title for the first time in six tournaments and 15 years. South Korea is the most successful nation in this tournament with 12 titles. Myanmar (7 titles) and Israel (6 titles) follow behind South Korea.

The U20 national team head coach is Kim Jeong-su. He was appointed in March after a historic open recruitment process by the Korea Football Association for the Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) team head coach position. A third national team training camp is also scheduled from the 1st to the 13th of next month at Cheonan Korea Football Park.

- Group A: South Korea, Kyrgyzstan (H), Philippines, Lebanon

- Group B: Uzbekistan (H), Syria, India, Bangladesh

- Group C: Iran, Vietnam (H), North Korea, Palestine

- Group D: Jordan, Tajikistan, Bahrain (H), Afghanistan

- Group E: Saudi Arabia, Qatar (H), Oman, Hong Kong

- Group F: Iraq, Thailand (H), United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkmenistan

- Group G: Japan, Yemen, Cambodia (H), Kuwait

- Group H: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos (H)

* (H) = Host nation for each group's qualifiers

- Goalkeepers: Song An-tong (Busan IPark), Kim Chan-young (Bucheon FC 1995), Lee Han-gyeol (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

- Defenders: Kim Ju-hyeong (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Hong Sang-won (Chung-Ang University), Jung Sung-bin (FC Liefering, Austria), Ko Jung-min (Incheon United), Mo Kyung-bin (Suwon Samsung), Kim Gyu-min (Gyeongnam FC), Yeo Min-jun (Suwon Samsung), Gong Bae-hyun (Gwangju FC), Jo Young-jun (Pohang Steelers), Lee Jun-seop (Incheon United)

- Midfielders: Lee Eun-ho (Gangwon FC), Bae Seung-gyun (Feyenoord, Netherlands), Kim Min-woo (Korea University), Kang Dong-hwi (Jeju SK), Kim Beom-jun (Pohang Steelers), Lee Chung-hyun (Bucheon FC 1995), Go Pil-kwan (FC Seoul), Jung Sung-bin (Yonsei University), Park Seo-bin (Honnam University), Ahn Tae-hoon (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Lee Ji-woo (Ulsan University), Yoon Je-hee (Chungnam Asan FC), Kim Kang (FC Anyang), Lee Kyung-hyun (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)

- Forwards: Lee Ho-jin (Busan IPark), Kim Yun-ho (Gwangju FC), Kim Hyun-oh (Gyeongnam FC)

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*This content was translated by AI.