World Cup 2026: South Korea are Almost There

Kuwait vs Korea Republic

South Korea are so close to qualifying for World Cup 2026, so much so that they can taste it. However, to make it official, the Taeguk Warriors need to get the job done in this international break.

Hong Myung-Bo’s side is on top of third-round Group B with 10 points, and getting two more wins against Kuwait and Palestine should seal the deal for them. Today, our SBOTOP preview is their upcoming game against Kuwait at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Kuwait are second to last in the group with only three points. They still have a long shot of qualifying for the World Cup by advancing to the fourth round, and an unlikely victory against South Korea would mean the world to them.

The odds are stacked against the hosts this week, but can they pull off the impossible?

 

Talking Points

Too many draws for Kuwait

Kuwait made it this far after taking a Top 2 spot in second-round Group A, with two wins, one draw, and three losses. However, their positive run of World Cup 2026 results dried up here in the third round.

Kuwait saved a point against Jordan when Youssef Nasser converted the added-time penalty after trailing for most of the match, which was followed up by a goalless draw against Iraq.

Juan Antonio Pizzi’s side missed their chance to spring an upset against Iraq, who were reduced to 10 men when centre-back Rebin Sulaka was given a straight red card in the seventh minute, because they only had a few shots on target.

Kuwait went on to lose 4-0 to Oman before being held to another draw by Palestine, which hurt their chances to qualify. Kuwait were leading 2-1, especially after Camilo Saldana was sent off near the hour mark, but they conceded a late equaliser from Zaid Qunbar.

Now that they missed their opportunities, Kuwait face an uphill climb to move on since they’ll take on South Korea and Jordan, the two topnotchers in third-round Group B, next.

 

Son is back for South Korea

Heung-Min Son is finally back in the fold for the national team after being out for a while, which is a sight for sore eyes for South Korean fans. Make no mistake about it, the Taeguk Warriors are still formidable without the Tottenham captain, but his presence turns them into a completely different team.

The 32-year-old winger returned to action for Spurs during their 4-1 rout of Aston Villa earlier this month and went on to play two more matches against Galatasaray and Ipswich Town.

According to reports, head coach Hong Myung-Bo will put Heung-Min Son on a minutes restriction, similar to what the Spurs are doing to him lately to manage his workload and injury risk.

Bae Jun-Ho, Lee Jae-Sung, and Oh Hyeon-Gyu should keep the Taeguk Warriors afloat because they have had multiple goal involvements in their last two matches against Jordan and Iraq, while 21-year-old midfielder Lee Hyun-Ju could make his first senior appearance this week.

 

History

Kuwait and South Korea have had their fair share of battles in international competition. Believe it or not, South Korea only have a slight advantage over Kuwait in their overall head-to-heads.

In their previous 24 matches against each other, Kuwait have 10 wins, while South Korea have 12 wins along with two draws.

South Korea are on a seven-game undefeated run against Kuwait (W6, D1) since October 2000, including a 1-0 result in their last meeting during the World Cup 2018 Asian qualifiers.

Veteran forward Yousef Nasser is on pace to hit several milestones in this international break. He is two appearances away from being the fifth-most capped player and is also five goals away from becoming the Kuwait national team’s third all-time leading scorer.

 

Betting Tip

The World Cup 2026 odds expect a lopsided game between Kuwait and South Korea. As expected, South Korea are 1.16 favourites to win, while Kuwait are 9.80 underdogs, and a draw is at 5.50 in the 1X2 market.

The Taeguk Warriors have the requisite firepower to overwhelm their hosts. So, other than our recommended bet above, bettors may be interested in going for alternatives like Over 3.00 at 1.98 and Total Goal 4-6 at 2.69, while Total Goal 2-3 at 2.11 is a safer option.

Meanwhile, a Correct Score of 1-0 in favour of the visitors – the result of their last two meetings a long time ago – is priced at 6.80, while a goalless draw has a generous offer of 17.50.

   

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.