'It all depends on the Mexico match': South Korea's Round of 32 opponent, a weak third-place team? Canada? Or Japan, Germany, or Belgium?

*This content was translated by AI.

The fateful match is approaching.

The South Korean national football team will face host nation Mexico in the second group stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico, at 10 a.m. (Korea time) on the 19th.

South Korea and Mexico each defeated Czech Republic and South Africa 2-1 and 2-0, respectively, in their opening matches. Both nations, having secured three points each, have taken a favorable position for advancing to the Round of 32. In this tournament, the top two teams from each of the 12th groups (24 teams) and the eight best third-placed teams based on points, goal difference, and goals scored will advance to the Round of 32.

The South Korea-Mexico match is particularly important because the winner of this game has a very high probability of ultimately finishing first in Group A. If they win the second match as well and accumulate six points, they can secure first place in the group with just a draw in the remaining match. Conversely, a loss would make finishing first in the group difficult, and there is even a possibility of being relegated to third place.

By the end of today's match against Mexico, the outline of South Korea's Round of 32 opponent is expected to emerge. The tournament bracket varies significantly depending on the group stage standings of each team.

First, if finishing first in Group A, South Korea will play a Round of 32 match at 10 a.m. on July 1 against one of the third-placed teams from Groups C, E, F, H, or I. As a third-placed team, they are likely to face a relatively weaker opponent.

Group C includes Scotland, Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti. Currently, Scotland has one win, while Brazil and Morocco drew 1-1. Objectively, Morocco appears most likely to finish third in the group. In Group E, Germany and Ivory Coast each have one win, and Ecuador is more likely than Curaçao to finish third.

Group F is so difficult to predict it is known as the "Group of Death." Sweden has one win, Japan and the Netherlands have one draw each, and Tunisia has one loss. If South Korea finishes first in Group A and Japan drops to third in Group F, the first-ever "Korea-Japan match" in World Cup history could take place in the Round of 32.

In Group H, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Cape Verde all drew their opening matches. In Group I, Norway and France have secured their first wins, while a battle for third place is expected between Senegal and Iraq.

If South Korea finishes second in Group A, they will face the second-placed team from Group B in a Round of 32 showdown at 4 a.m. on the 29th. Group B features Switzerland, Canada, Qatar, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, all of whom drew 1-1 in their opening matches. It is expected that either European Switzerland or host-nation-blessed Canada will compete for first or second place.

If South Korea drops to third in Group A, even if they barely advance to the tournament, they will have to face a formidable opponent from the first round. If they meet the first-placed team from Group E, the match will be at 5:30 a.m. on the 30th; if they face the first-placed team from Group G, the match will be at 5 a.m. on July 2.

In Group E, the traditional powerhouse Germany is likely to finish first. In Group G, Belgium, New Zealand, Iran, and Egypt all drew their opening matches, and barring any surprises, Belgium is expected to take first place.

Ultimately, if South Korea finishes first in Group A, they can face a relatively manageable opponent in the Round of 32, but if they finish second or third, they will have to battle a tough rival or a championship contender. What scenario they face depends on this match against Mexico.

The Hong Myeong-bo (CEO)team's coach expressed confidence at a formal press conference on the 18th, one day before the match, saying, "Czech Republic and Mexico are completely different teams. I have shared this with the players," and added, "The Mexican players are skilled. Their midfielders are creative. However, I believe our players have prepared sufficiently, so I have no worries."

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*This content was translated by AI.