South Korea defeats Czech Republic in World Cup opener

South Korea secured a 2‑1 comeback win over the Czech Republic in the opening match of Group A at the 2026 World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico. Hwang In‑Beom opened the scoring with a powerful strike, and Oh Hyeon‑Gyu added the decisive goal, while the Czech side's lone goal came from Krejci. The victory places South Korea second in the group behind hosts Mexico.

The match also coincided with renewed media attention on South Korean forward Son Heung‑min. Although Son denied any romantic involvement with K‑pop star Jisoo, a South Korean woman was convicted of extorting the player, demanding 300 million won (about $200 000) by falsely claiming she was carrying his child. The court sentenced her to four years in prison, highlighting the personal challenges faced by the team's high‑profile star.