Kim Seung-gyu's sacrifice and South Korea's World Cup opener

World Cup opener against Czechia on Friday

South Korea kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign tomorrow against Czechia in Group A (1) (2) (3). The match marks the start of what fans hope will be a deep run, with all eyes on the team's experienced core to set the tone early.

Kim Seung-gyu's emotional sacrifice

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu carries a heavy personal weight into this tournament. He chose to miss the birth of his daughter to represent South Korea at his fourth World Cup, saying he hopes strong results on the pitch will make up for his absence. His leadership from the back will be vital against a physical Czechia side.

Fan reactions

South Korea landed a perfect sleep score of zero on the World Cup fanbase sleep-loss leaderboard, meaning no brutal timezone kickoffs for fans back home during group stage (1). The thread sparked envy from supporters in less fortunate timezones, with one fan joking that Korean supporters will be the most well-rested of the entire tournament.