South Korea president calls coach ‘incompetent’ as Hong Myung-bo resigns after World Cup exit

Hong Myung-bo has stepped down as South Korea’s head coach less than 24 hours after the team’s elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026, following a scathing public attack from the country’s president, who calls for a government investigation into the national football programme.

South Korea finished third in Group A with one win and two losses, defeating the Czech Republic 2-1 before losing 1-0 to both South Africa and Mexico. They needed results elsewhere to advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams, but those did not materialise when Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 on Saturday.

President Lee Jae Myung posted a public statement calling out “incompetent people” in leadership positions and ordered the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to conduct a full review of the national team. “When loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence, the outcome is all but inevitable,” Lee wrote.

[See more: Eustáquio sends Canada into World Cup Round of 16 with stoppage-time winner]

Hong, 57, announced his resignation at the team’s base camp in Guadalajara, reading from a prepared statement without taking questions. “All responsibilities are with me,” he said. He also admitted he would not repeat his decision to bench Son Heung-min for the South Africa match – the game South Korea lost 1-0 that ultimately sealed their fate. 

Hong had already been deeply unpopular with fans and South Korean media before the tournament, drawing boos during home matches following his controversial appointment in July 2024.

It is Hong’s second World Cup exit as national team coach – he also resigned after South Korea went winless at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He is the only man to have coached South Korea at two different World Cups. The country has failed to advance past the group stage in three of the last four tournaments, a stark contrast to the nation that reached the semi-finals as co-host in 2002.