2026 Asian Games Korea Football Squads and Schedule

South Korea’s next football match at the 2026 Asian Games is the women’s match against Bangladesh. It takes place on September 17 at 16:00 at Osaka Nagai Stadium. The women also have a match against North Korea on the 21st (in Japan). The men face Saudi Arabia on the 22nd at 19:00 in Nagoya.

The squads and basic schedule are based on KFA’s announcements on July 9 and 23, 2026.

Key Information on the Remaining Matches

South Korea has two women’s matches and one men’s match remaining in the group stage. All times below are in Korean time. Local time in Japan is the same as Korean time.

These times can also be confirmed in the upcoming-match information on KFA’s website. (Verified details: women vs. Bangladesh, September 17 at 16:00; women vs. North Korea, September 21 at 16:00; men vs. Saudi Arabia, September 22 at 19:00 · Source: kfa.or.kr · Checked on 2026-09-16) The organizing committee’s ticket schedule lists session start times separately. The differences between the times in the two schedules are explained in a separate section below.

×

A football fan checks the match schedule on a printed sheet and his smartphone at the stadium.AI-generated image

Overview of the Men’s and Women’s Football Tournaments

The men’s U-23 national team and the women’s senior national team are competing. The men’s football tournament runs from September 15 to October 3. The women’s football tournament runs from September 14 to October 2. Football begins before the opening ceremony on September 19.

Men’s Group D consists of three teams. South Korea plays two group-stage matches. In Women’s Group F, each team plays three matches.

Opening-Match Results and What Has Been Confirmed So Far

KFA reported opening-match wins for both national teams. The women scored five goals against Myanmar. The men scored four goals against Qatar.

Both results are confirmed by the match results and article headlines on KFA’s website. (Verified details: women, South Korea 5-0 Myanmar, Kim Min-ji hat-trick; men, South Korea 4-1 Qatar, Um Ji-sung hat-trick · Source: kfa.or.kr · Checked on 2026-09-16) However, an opening-match win alone cannot determine the final group standings. Current standings must also reflect the results of other matches in the same group. Therefore, this article does not confirm that South Korea has secured first place in its group or a quarterfinal berth.

When Are the Quarterfinals and Semifinals?

South Korea’s knockout-stage schedule depends on its final group-stage position. Below are the basic allocations by finishing position provided by KFA. The semifinal schedule applies if the team wins its quarterfinal. The organizing committee’s conditions for time adjustments must also be applied.

All dates in the table are in 2026. KFA’s group-draw announcement also includes the following wording.

South Korea national team schedule (*All kickoff times will be finalized later)

The quoted document is KFA’s “Men’s and Women’s Football Groups Finalized for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.” Because of this wording, the times in the table should not be treated as unconditionally fixed.

Could Japan’s Progress Also Affect South Korea’s Match Times?

The organizing committee has stated that Japan’s quarterfinal and semifinal will be scheduled for 19:30. This condition applies regardless of Japan’s group-stage finishing position. If South Korea is involved in the affected fixtures, the basic timetable must be checked again.

South Korea’s quarterfinal opponent also cannot be determined before the group stage ends. The KFA announcement reviewed does not include a table mapping opponents to finishing positions in other groups. The organizing committee’s ticket information also labels some matches simply as quarterfinals. Therefore, this article does not name a specific country as South Korea’s quarterfinal opponent in advance.

Final and Bronze Medal Match Schedule

The medal matches are on October 2 for the women and October 3 for the men. The semifinal winners advance to the final. The semifinal losers play in the bronze medal match.

Announced Final 23-Player Men’s National Team Squad

Head coach Lee Min-sung’s announced final squad consists of 23 players. KFA released the squad on July 9, 2026. Below are the position categories used in that announcement. Any subsequent replacements must be checked through separate KFA notices.

The wild-card players are Yang Hyun-jun, Um Ji-sung, and Lee Gi-hyuk. This refers to an eligibility exception for players who exceed the tournament’s age limit. These three players are included in the 23 listed above. The three wild-card players are not added on top of the 23.

Announced Final 23-Player Women’s National Team Squad

Head coach Shin Sang-woo’s announced final squad also consists of 23 players. The women’s squad was likewise released on July 9, 2026. Ji So-yun and Kim Hye-ri are included. Kang Tae-gyeong received her first senior national team call-up through this squad selection.

The final call-up list and the starting lineup for each match must be distinguished. The table above is the announced squad for the tournament. The starters for each match are announced separately.

What to Watch

The men are aiming for a fourth consecutive title, while the women are seeking a return to the medals. The men won gold at the previous three Asian Games. The women reached the quarterfinals at the Hangzhou Games. Head coach Shin Sang-woo has stated that the goal for this tournament is a gold medal.

• For the men, the focus is their final position in Group D after the Saudi Arabia match. Their position determines their basic time slots in the knockout stage.
• The women face North Korea after the Bangladesh match. Their qualification route must be monitored through the final group-stage match.
• Finishing third in a women’s group does not mean immediate elimination. Results still need to be compared with those of the third-placed teams in the other groups.
• Japan and Uzbekistan are competing in the men’s tournament. The group draw alone cannot determine whether they will face South Korea or their chances of winning the title.

Why Does the Ticket Schedule Say 14:00 While the Saudi Arabia Match Is at 19:00?

The session start time on a ticket may differ from an individual match’s kickoff. A session is a set of matches grouped under the same ticket. This difference can be seen in the fixture schedule released by the organizing committee in September.

Therefore, using FBL21’s 14:00 start time as the start of South Korea’s match would be an error. The broadcast start time may also differ from the actual kickoff. Viewing plans should use the kickoff time for the individual match. Those attending in person also need the separately announced gate-opening time.

Comparing Broadcast Viewing and Attending in Person

MBC has announced its football commentary team for this tournament. Kim Sung-joo, Ahn Jung-hwan, and Seo Hyung-wook will provide coverage. However, the commentary-team announcement alone does not guarantee live coverage of every men’s and women’s match.

Official general ticket sales began on June 30, 2026, at 17:00. The announced sales period runs until the date of each session. Registration for a Supporter ID is required on the official sales website. Sales are on a first-come, first-served basis, so seats may sell out before the closing date.

No basis was found for stating that all online viewing is free. Admission prices must also be checked by selecting the match and seat category. This article does not provide unverified access fees or admission prices.

How Can You Check Schedule Changes from the Organizing Committee?

Final times must be checked against the organizing committee’s match-specific information and change notices. The organizing committee announced football schedule changes following a reduction in the number of participating teams. These included some match cancellations and adjustments to session times. The current schedule should not be determined solely from an outdated ticket guide.

1. Check South Korea’s opponent and kickoff time in the match schedule on KFA’s website.
2. Check the conditions for changes in the football fixture announcement on the organizing committee’s website.
3. Cross-check the date, stadium, and session code against the fixture schedule in the official ticket information.
4. After qualification for the knockout stage, check the confirmed fixtures and match times again.
5. Check the broadcast schedule for the coverage start time of the relevant match.

When checking change notices, look at the sport concerned as well as the title. The September 15 refund notice on the official ticket website concerns rowing. It cannot be interpreted as a football schedule change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the Times Need to Be Converted to Korean Time?

No conversion is needed. Both South Korea and Japan use UTC+9. When it is 16:00 local time in Japan, it is also 16:00 in South Korea.

Must the Women’s National Team Finish in the Top Two to Reach the Quarterfinals?

Third-placed teams can also qualify. The top two teams in each group qualify first. The two third-placed teams with the best records also advance.

If South Korea Finishes First in Its Group, Are Its Knockout-Stage Times Confirmed as Listed?

Finishing first in the group does not fix all match times. The organizing committee has announced a condition assigning Japan’s quarterfinal and semifinal to evening slots. Final match-specific information is needed once the qualifying teams are determined.

Do All 23 Players in the Announced Squad Play in Every Match?

Being in the tournament squad does not mean playing in every match. Starting lineups are announced separately for each match. Actual appearances can be confirmed in the match records.

Is the Time Printed on the Ticket the Start of South Korea’s Match?

It may differ if the session groups several matches together. FBL21, which includes the Saudi Arabia match, is listed as starting at 14:00. KFA lists South Korea’s match kickoff as 19:00.