When the International Football Federation (FIFA) unveils the 2026 North and Central America World Cup operation plan, a positive response is detected in Korea.
It is interpreted as the effect of changing the familiar four-team system instead of the three-team group league system, which was considered an uneasy factor in the past expansion to 48 countries.
The consistent response from the field is that the possibility of advancing to the tournament starting from the round of 32 has increased.
Hwang Seon-hong, coach of the Hangzhou Asian Games soccer team, met with reporters at the 2023 Korea Football Association Leaders Conference held at the Goyang International Youth Cultural Center on the 15th and said, “In the three-team system, even one game was dangerous. He welcomed it, saying, “The structure in which two group matches can be all about the finals has disappeared.”
Former soccer team coach Choi Tae-wook, who contributed to advancing to the round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup, the previous tournament, said, “Can’t we go up to the tournament for not only the 1st and 2nd places in each group, but also the 3rd place (top 8 teams)?” The system to pay is definitely positive for us.”
As the tournament starts in the round of 32 from the North and Central America World Cup, there was also an opinion that it is necessary to actively respond to changes.
As if aware that the goal of the World Cup in North and Central America was also the round of 16, not the round of 32, Coach Choi said, “Each group will contain at least one strong team from Europe and South America. There is,” he said.
Hwang Bo-gwan, head of the Korea Football Association’s Technical Headquarters, said, “I am cautious because FIFA has not yet sent an official letter to the associations,” but added, “In the future, it is necessary to prepare for more than 5 games (as the number of games increased), not 4 until the round of 16 (as in the Qatar World Cup). there is Also, as each group has increased from 8 to 12, there is room for an increase in the group stage period.” 슈퍼벳 토토
Coach Hwang also suggested the need to pay attention to the reduced preparation period as the competition period has increased. This is because it is expected that FIFA will reduce the training period, which was given for the past 23 days, by about a week to keep the entire schedule at the level of the previous competition. Coach Hwang said, “From a coach’s point of view, there is no choice but to be sensitive to the part where the training period is reduced by one week. (Director Jurgen Klinsmann) thinks it can be burdensome.”
Meanwhile, coach Klinsman said, “The World Cup in Qatar also had many changes in technology, data, and information.” (Before the North and Central America competitions) I will first find a way to win the Asian Cup,” he said.