There was no last-minute miracle for the Taeguk Warriors. Following a 1-0 defeat to South Africa in their final Group A match, South Korea finished the group stage with three points, scoring two goals while conceding three for a goal difference of -1. Despite placing third in the group, they still had a mathematical chance of progressing through the best third-place ranking.
That hope disappeared after the final round of group-stage matches concluded on June 28.
In Group L, Ghana lost 2-1 to Croatia but still secured third place with four points, guaranteeing a place in the knockout stage. Meanwhile, DR Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 in Group K to qualify directly, while also reshaping the standings among the best third-placed teams.
The updated rankings saw DR Congo, Sweden, Ecuador, Ghana, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Paraguay all finish with four points to comfortably secure qualification. Senegal claimed seventh place with three points and a +2 goal difference, while Iran occupied the eighth and final qualifying position with a goal difference of 0.
South Korea dropped to ninth in the best third-place standings with three points and a goal difference of -1, leaving them just outside the qualification zone and officially ending their World Cup campaign.
It was a heartbreaking finish for the Asian side. South Korea had opened the tournament with a promising 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic but suffered back-to-back defeats against Mexico and South Africa, ultimately losing control of their own destiny.
Under the expanded World Cup 2026 format, 12 third-placed teams from the group stage competed for eight remaining knockout-round berths. South Korea missed the final qualification spot by a single goal in goal difference, bringing their journey in North America to an early end.
Sources: K14