South Korea soccer squad trains in Mexico as JTBC reels from costly World Cup broadcast deal

The South Korean national football team held its first full‑squad training session at a camp in Sacapán, Jalisco, ahead of its Group A match against Mexico in the 2026 North American World Cup. Injured forward Bae Joon‑ho and defender Kim Tae‑hyun rejoined the squad, allowing the coach to implement Mexico‑specific tactical drills using video analysis of opponent patterns.

Meanwhile, South Korean broadcaster JTBC announced a liquidity crisis after defaulting on a ₩206 billion (approximately $206 million) debt incurred by its exclusive purchase of the 2026 World Cup and Olympic broadcasting rights. Declining advertising revenues and high acquisition costs left the company with a debt‑to‑equity ratio above 2,000 %, prompting credit‑rating downgrades and the adoption of emergency management measures. JTBC says live sports coverage will continue despite the financial strain.