Hong Myungbo resigns as South Korea coach after World Cup exit

Hong Myungbo has announced his resignation as head coach of the Korea Republic national team, a day after the team's elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026 was confirmed. The Taeguk Warriors failed to progress beyond the group stage, finishing third in their group and missing out on a spot among the best third-placed teams.

World Cup campaign

Korea Republic opened their World Cup campaign with a 2-1 victory over Czechia, raising hopes of advancement. However, they then suffered back-to-back 1-0 defeats to Mexico and South Africa. Their fate was sealed on 27 June, the final day of group-stage matches, as results elsewhere left them unable to qualify.

Hong's tenure and resignation

Hong, who had been in charge since 2024, led the team through an unbeaten qualifying campaign for the World Cup. Despite that success, he accepted full responsibility for the tournament disappointment. In a press conference, Hong said: "To all of the Korean people who love and support our national team, I would like to genuinely apologise. Today, I'd like to announce that I will step down as the national team head coach."

He added: "It was not an easy decision for me to take this role, but once I took it, I thought about nothing else except being responsible until the very last moment. I believed that was the only way for me to work."

"As the head coach, no explanation can supersede the ultimate result. I could not bring the result that our people had expected. All responsibilities are with me. I want to thank our coaches and staff who worked with me with one common goal. Today, I step down as the national team head coach. However, my heart for Korean football will remain the same. I will now support Korea national team to regain the trust and love of our people."

Looking ahead

Hong's departure leaves the Korea Football Association with the task of finding a new head coach ahead of future international fixtures. The team will aim to rebuild under new leadership and restore confidence among fans.