South Korea are playing matches without a permanent coach, and there's no fix in sight. The Korea Football Association has confirmed friendlies against Venezuela (Oct. 2) and Uzbekistan (Oct. 6), with September opponents still to be announced — all of it unfolding while a headless federation scrambles to rebuild the national team's identity.
Hong Myung-bo walked after the World Cup. South Korea went one win, two losses at the 2026 tournament in North America, failed to escape the group stage, and dropped seven places to 32nd in the FIFA rankings as a direct result. Hong took the fall. The KFA accepted it.
Four matches, no head coach
Under the revised FIFA calendar, the September and October windows have been merged into one 16-day block — meaning South Korea will play four matches in that stretch, not two. The logic is reducing long-haul travel for club players. The reality for South Korea is four games to figure out who they are before they even know who's leading them.
The KFA announced on August 24 that the team would operate under interim staff through November, with a slightly unusual approach: they're hiring the head coach and assistants as a package, not separately. Whether that produces a coherent technical setup or just delays accountability further is a fair question.
Venezuela sit 47th in the FIFA rankings, Uzbekistan 60th. Neither opponent will send shockwaves, but these are the kinds of matches that expose structural problems when a squad is drifting. South Korea's results in this window will shape whoever eventually takes the permanent job — and betting markets on Asian Cup qualification and future tournaments will be watching closely. A team sliding from 25th to 32nd in three weeks doesn't inspire confidence in the short-term price.
Venues and kickoff times are still to be confirmed. September opponents, likewise. The KFA has a plan. What they don't have yet is a coach.
