FIFA World Cup Korea time

The FIFA World Cups have grown from a humble beginning in 1930 in Uruguay with only 13 teams into the most followed sporting spectacle on the planet. The international governing body for the sport of football organises it every four years, and hardly anyone would find anyone who doesn’t know about the tournament. Every four years, the tournament never fails to deliver moments that become part of football history, be it Pelé’s magic in 1970 or Maradona’s brilliance in 1986, Germany’s machine-like consistency or Argentina’s dramatic victory in the last edition in Qatar.

Let’s have a look at the recent FIFA World Cup Winners:

Despite winning the last World Cup 24 years ago, Brazil remains the most successful team in the history of FIFA World Cups. However, the expanded 2026 format opens the door for new stories. More teams, more matches, and more chances for surprise runs — which is exactly why this World Cup feels so unpredictable already.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup introduces a brand-new tournament structure, expanding the competition to 48 teams for the first time. These teams will be organised into 12 groups of four, with each nation playing three group-stage matches. It’s a format designed to bring more countries into the spotlight while keeping the early stages competitive.

From each group, the top two teams qualify automatically for the knockout rounds, but that’s not the end of the story. To fill out the new Round of 32, the eight best third-placed teams across all groups will also advance. That extra safety net adds real tension to the final round of group matches, where even third place can still mean survival.

The knockout stage starts in late June and runs all the way through to the final on 20 July 2026 (KST). This expanded World Cup format means more knockout football and a wider spread of kick-off times — something that actually suits fans in Korea balancing workdays with early-morning matches.

South Korea first featured in the FIFA World Cup in 1954 and featured in every edition from 1986. Over the decades, they’ve grown from underdogs into one of Asia’s most respected and battle-tested football nations — built on pace, discipline, and relentless work rate.

Their defining moment came on home soil in 2002, when Korea stunned the football world by reaching the semi-finals — still the best-ever World Cup finish by an Asian team. Wins over Italy and Spain turned that tournament into a piece of national sporting history.

More recently, Korea have shown they can trouble the very best. In 2018, they knocked out defending champions Germany. In 2022, they reached the Round of 16, powered by dramatic late goals and trademark fight. Heading into 2026, expectations are quietly building once again.

South Korea will start their campaign on 12 June 2026 at 11:00 AM (KST) at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico. Thereafter, Taegeuk Warriors will conclude the group stage facing Mexico and South Africa at 10:00 AM (KST) on 19 June 2026 and 25 June 2026, respectively. Below you can find all the matches involving South Korea, with kick-off times converted to Korea Standard Time (KST). You can also find the full tournament schedule further down this page.

Date	Time	Team 1 Score Team 2
12 June, 2026 (Friday)	11:00 AM (KST)	South Korea vs Czechia Guadalajara Match No. 2 Group A
19 June, 2026 (Friday)	10:00 AM (KST)	Mexico vs South Korea Guadalajara Match No. 28 Group A
25 June, 2026 (Thursday)	10:00 AM (KST)	South Africa vs South Korea Monterrey Match No. 54 Group A

With the tournament hosted in North America, fans watching from Korea should brace for a mix of early-morning kick-offs. Most matches will fall between 4:00 AM and 11:00 AM KST, depending on the host city and match slot.

Below is the complete schedule of all 104 matches, with kick-off times displayed in Korea Standard Time (KST). For a quick look, you can filter the matches by Team, Venue and Stage:

Filter by: Select Category Team Venue Stage Reset

Date	Time	Team 1 Score Team 2
12 June, 2026 (Friday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Mexico vs South Africa Mexico City Match No. 1 Group A
	11:00 AM (KST)	South Korea vs Czechia Guadalajara Match No. 2 Group A
13 June, 2026 (Saturday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Canada vs Bosnia Toronto Match No. 3 Group B
	10:00 AM (KST)	USA vs Paraguay Los Angeles Match No. 4 Group D
14 June, 2026 (Sunday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Qatar vs Switzerland SF Bay Area Match No. 8 Group B
	7:00 AM (KST)	Brazil vs Morocco New York Match No. 7 Group C
	10:00 AM (KST)	Haiti vs Scotland Boston Match No. 5 Group C
	1:00 PM (KST)	Australia vs Turkey Vancouver Match No. 6 Group D
15 June, 2026 (Monday)	2:00 AM (KST)	Germany vs Curaçao Houston Match No. 10 Group E
	5:00 AM (KST)	Netherlands vs Japan Dallas Match No. 11 Group F
	8:00 AM (KST)	Ivory Coast vs Ecuador Philadelphia Match No. 9 Group E
	11:00 AM (KST)	Sweden vs Tunisia Monterrey Match No. 12 Group F
16 June, 2026 (Tuesday)	1:00 AM (KST)	Spain vs Cape Verde Atlanta Match No. 14 Group H
	4:00 AM (KST)	Belgium vs Egypt Seattle Match No. 16 Group G
	7:00 AM (KST)	Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Miami Match No. 13 Group H
	10:00 AM (KST)	Iran vs New Zealand Los Angeles Match No. 15 Group G
17 June, 2026 (Wednesday)	4:00 AM (KST)	France vs Senegal New York Match No. 17 Group I
	7:00 AM (KST)	Iraq vs Norway Boston Match No. 18 Group I
	10:00 AM (KST)	Argentina vs Algeria Kansas City Match No. 19 Group J
	1:00 PM (KST)	Austria vs Jordan SF Bay Area Match No. 20 Group J
18 June, 2026 (Thursday)	2:00 AM (KST)	Portugal vs DR Congo Houston Match No. 23 Group K
	5:00 AM (KST)	England vs Croatia Dallas Match No. 22 Group L
	8:00 AM (KST)	Ghana vs Panama Toronto Match No. 21 Group L
	11:00 AM (KST)	Uzbekistan vs Colombia Mexico City Match No. 24 Group K
19 June, 2026 (Friday)	1:00 AM (KST)	Czechia vs South Africa Atlanta Match No. 25 Group A
	4:00 AM (KST)	Switzerland vs Bosnia Los Angeles Match No. 26 Group B
	7:00 AM (KST)	Canada vs Qatar Vancouver Match No. 27 Group B
	10:00 AM (KST)	Mexico vs South Korea Guadalajara Match No. 28 Group A
20 June, 2026 (Saturday)	4:00 AM (KST)	USA vs Australia Seattle Match No. 32 Group D
	7:00 AM (KST)	Scotland vs Morocco Boston Match No. 30 Group C
	10:00 AM (KST)	Brazil vs Haiti Philadelphia Match No. 29 Group C
	1:00 PM (KST)	Turkey vs Paraguay SF Bay Area Match No. 31 Group D
21 June, 2026 (Sunday)	2:00 AM (KST)	Netherlands vs Sweden Houston Match No. 35 Group F
	5:00 AM (KST)	Germany vs Ivory Coast Toronto Match No. 33 Group E
	9:00 AM (KST)	Ecuador vs Curaçao Kansas City Match No. 34 Group E
	1:00 PM (KST)	Tunisia vs Japan Monterrey Match No. 36 Group F
22 June, 2026 (Monday)	1:00 AM (KST)	Spain vs Saudi Arabia Atlanta Match No. 38 Group H
	4:00 AM (KST)	Belgium vs Iran Los Angeles Match No. 39 Group G
	7:00 AM (KST)	Uruguay vs Cape Verde Miami Match No. 37 Group H
	10:00 AM (KST)	New Zealand vs Egypt Vancouver Match No. 40 Group G
23 June, 2026 (Tuesday)	2:00 AM (KST)	Argentina vs Austria Dallas Match No. 43 Group J
	6:00 AM (KST)	France vs Iraq Philadelphia Match No. 42 Group I
	9:00 AM (KST)	Norway vs Senegal New York Match No. 41 Group I
	12:00 PM (KST)	Jordan vs Algeria SF Bay Area Match No. 44 Group J
24 June, 2026 (Wednesday)	2:00 AM (KST)	Portugal vs Uzbekistan Houston Match No. 47 Group K
	5:00 AM (KST)	England vs Ghana Boston Match No. 45 Group L
	8:00 AM (KST)	Panama vs Croatia Toronto Match No. 46 Group L
	11:00 AM (KST)	Colombia vs DR Congo Guadalajara Match No. 48 Group K
25 June, 2026 (Thursday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Switzerland vs Canada Vancouver Match No. 51 Group B
	4:00 AM (KST)	Bosnia vs Qatar Seattle Match No. 52 Group B
	7:00 AM (KST)	Scotland vs Brazil Miami Match No. 49 Group C
	7:00 AM (KST)	Morocco vs Haiti Atlanta Match No. 50 Group C
	10:00 AM (KST)	Czechia vs Mexico Mexico City Match No. 53 Group A
	10:00 AM (KST)	South Africa vs South Korea Monterrey Match No. 54 Group A
26 June, 2026 (Friday)	5:00 AM (KST)	Curaçao vs Ivory Coast Philadelphia Match No. 55 Group E
	5:00 AM (KST)	Ecuador vs Germany New York Match No. 56 Group E
	8:00 AM (KST)	Japan vs Sweden Dallas Match No. 57 Group F
	8:00 AM (KST)	Tunisia vs Netherlands Kansas City Match No. 58 Group F
	11:00 AM (KST)	Turkey vs USA Los Angeles Match No. 59 Group D
	11:00 AM (KST)	Paraguay vs Australia SF Bay Area Match No. 60 Group D
27 June, 2026 (Saturday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Norway vs France Boston Match No. 61 Group I
	4:00 AM (KST)	Senegal vs Iraq Toronto Match No. 62 Group I
	9:00 AM (KST)	Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia Houston Match No. 65 Group H
	9:00 AM (KST)	Uruguay vs Spain Guadalajara Match No. 66 Group H
	12:00 PM (KST)	Egypt vs Iran Seattle Match No. 63 Group G
	12:00 PM (KST)	New Zealand vs Belgium Vancouver Match No. 64 Group G
28 June, 2026 (Sunday)	6:00 AM (KST)	Panama vs England New York Match No. 67 Group L
	6:00 AM (KST)	Croatia vs Ghana Philadelphia Match No. 68 Group L
	8:30 AM (KST)	Colombia vs Portugal Miami Match No. 71 Group K
	8:30 AM (KST)	DR Congo vs Uzbekistan Atlanta Match No. 72 Group K
	11:00 AM (KST)	Algeria vs Austria Kansas City Match No. 69 Group J
	11:00 AM (KST)	Jordan vs Argentina Dallas Match No. 70 Group J
29 June, 2026 (Monday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group B Los Angeles Match No. 73 Round of 32
30 June, 2026 (Tuesday)	2:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group C vs Runner-up Group F Houston Match No. 76 Round of 32
	5:30 AM (KST)	Winner Group E vs 3rd Group A/B/C/D/F Boston Match No. 74 Round of 32
	10:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group C Monterrey Match No. 75 Round of 32
1 July, 2026 (Wednesday)	2:00 AM (KST)	Runner-up Group E vs Runner-up Group I Dallas Match No. 78 Round of 32
	6:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group I vs 3rd Group C/D/F/G/H New York Match No. 77 Round of 32
	10:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group A vs 3rd Group C/E/F/H/I Mexico City Match No. 79 Round of 32
2 July, 2026 (Thursday)	1:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group L vs 3rd Group E/H/I/J/K Atlanta Match No. 80 Round of 32
	5:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group G vs 3rd Group A/E/H/I/J Seattle Match No. 82 Round of 32
	9:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group D vs 3rd Group B/E/F/I/J SF Bay Area Match No. 81 Round of 32
3 July, 2026 (Friday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group J Los Angeles Match No. 84 Round of 32
	8:00 AM (KST)	Runner-up Group K vs Runner-up Group L Toronto Match No. 83 Round of 32
	12:00 PM (KST)	Winner Group B vs 3rd Group E/F/G/I/J Vancouver Match No. 85 Round of 32
4 July, 2026 (Saturday)	3:00 AM (KST)	Runner-up Group D vs Runner-up Group G Dallas Match No. 88 Round of 32
	7:00 AM (KST)	Winner Group J vs Runner-up Group H Miami Match No. 86 Round of 32
	10:30 AM (KST)	Winner Group K vs 3rd Group D/E/I/J/L Kansas City Match No. 87 Round of 32
5 July, 2026 (Sunday)	2:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 73 vs Winner Match 75 Houston Match No. 90 Round of 16
	6:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 74 vs Winner Match 77 Philadelphia Match No. 89 Round of 16
6 July, 2026 (Monday)	5:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 76 vs Winner Match 78 New York Match No. 91 Round of 16
	9:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 79 vs Winner Match 80 Mexico City Match No. 92 Round of 16
7 July, 2026 (Tuesday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 83 vs Winner Match 84 Dallas Match No. 93 Round of 16
	9:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 81 vs Winner Match 82 Seattle Match No. 94 Round of 16
8 July, 2026 (Wednesday)	1:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 86 vs Winner Match 88 Atlanta Match No. 95 Round of 16
	5:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 85 vs Winner Match 87 Vancouver Match No. 96 Round of 16
10 July, 2026 (Friday)	5:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 89 vs Winner Match 90 Boston Match No. 97 Quarterfinals
11 July, 2026 (Saturday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 93 vs Winner Match 94 Los Angeles Match No. 98 Quarterfinals
12 July, 2026 (Sunday)	6:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 91 vs Winner Match 92 Miami Match No. 99 Quarterfinals
	10:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 95 vs Winner Match 96 Kansas City Match No. 100 Quarterfinals
15 July, 2026 (Wednesday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 97 vs Winner Match 98 Dallas Match No. 101 Semifinals
16 July, 2026 (Thursday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 99 vs Winner Match 100 Atlanta Match No. 102 Semifinals
19 July, 2026 (Sunday)	6:00 AM (KST)	Loser Match 101 vs Loser Match 102 Miami Match No. 103 Third place
20 July, 2026 (Monday)	4:00 AM (KST)	Winner Match 101 vs Winner Match 102 New York Match No. 104 Final

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be staged across 16 host cities spread throughout three North American countries, making it the most geographically wide-reaching edition of the tournament to date. Matches will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, giving fans a true continent-spanning World Cup experience.

The United States will host the majority of fixtures, with games scheduled in New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Kansas City. From iconic coastal cities to traditional sporting hubs, the US venues cover nearly every corner of the country.

In Canada, matches will be played in Toronto and Vancouver, while Mexico — a nation deeply woven into World Cup history — will welcome fans in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. Together, these cities form the backbone of a tournament designed to bring the world’s game to more places than ever before.

• JTBC / NAVER Sports/ CHZZK 
• FIFA+ for highlights and selected matches

Q1. What time will South Korea’s matches be played in KST?
Most matches are expected to kick off during early-morning hours in Korea, with some late-night fixtures depending on the venue. The schedule above shows exact kick-off times in KST.

Q2. How many times has South Korea qualified for the FIFA World Cup?
South Korea have qualified for the World Cup 11 times, including every edition from 1986 to 2022. The 2026 tournament will mark another chapter in that consistent run.

Q3. What is South Korea’s best performance at the World Cup?
Korea’s best-ever finish came in 2002, when they reached the semi-finals on home soil — a historic achievement for Asian football.

Q4. Has Korea Republic reached the knockout stages recently?
Yes. Korea reached the Round of 16 in 2010 and 2022, showing they remain competitive against top international sides.

Q5. Where can fans in Korea watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup live?
Matches are expected to be broadcast on JTBC / NAVER Sports/ CHZZK, supported by official streaming platforms and FIFA+ for highlights.

Q6. How many matches will Korea play in the group stage?
Korea Republic will play three group-stage matches. The top two teams from each group, along with selected third-placed teams, advance to the knockouts.

Q7. Can Korea make a deep run in 2026?
With the expanded format and a balanced squad, 2026 offers Korea a real opportunity to push beyond recent Round of 16 exits — if things click at the right time.