Captain Son Heung-min has reported that the subpar state of playing surfaces for home matches is negatively impacting South Korea’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. In response, South Korean authorities have announced plans to inspect and evaluate the quality of football pitches nationwide. The inspections aim to improve player performance, reduce injuries, and enhance spectator satisfaction, with the ultimate goal of establishing a sustainable management system for maintaining high-quality pitches. Following a series of home draws, including a match against Jordan, Son expressed his frustration, questioning how the team could truly benefit from home advantage when the conditions do not meet expectations. Despite still leading Group B in the qualifiers, South Korea missed an opportunity to secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup with these disappointing results. The next two matches in June, away against Iraq and at home against Kuwait, will be crucial in determining their qualifiers’ outcome, with Iraq also vying for a qualification spot after a setback against Palestine.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/3/27/tottenham-captain-son-sparks-south-korea-pitch-reviews-as-world-cup-bid-hit?traffic_source=rss