South Korea football team eliminated from World Cup, drops out of top 30 FIFA rankings

South Korea's national football team lost 1–0 to South Africa in their final Group A match of the FIFA World Cup held in Monterrey, Mexico, which eliminated them from the tournament and ended hopes of advancing as one of the best third‑place finishers. Following the defeat, the players issued public apologies and head coach Hong Myung‑bo resigned.

The loss also caused South Korea to fall seven places in the latest FIFA rankings, dropping to 32nd – their lowest position since December 2021 and the first time they have been outside the top 30 in nearly four years. Meanwhile, Mexico rose to 10th and South Africa climbed to 54th in the rankings.

The early exit and ranking slip have sparked criticism from fans and raised concerns about the future direction of the Korean squad.