Park Ji-sung says Korea must exploit altitude advantage against Czech Republic

JTBC commentator Park Ji-sung said the high-altitude conditions at the venue for South Korea's opening 2026 World Cup group-stage match could prove decisive.

South Korea, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, faces the Czech Republic on Friday at 11 a.m. Korean Standard Time at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico — a must-win opener if the team is to advance to the knockout rounds.

The squad held its final training session Thursday at Chivas Verde Valle, its base camp facility, the day before the match.

Park, who visited the training ground, told reporters he was confident the team would deliver. "I think there will be a good result," he said. "Many people have praised this squad, and I believe they will live up to those expectations." He added that he hoped the players would stay healthy and enter the first match well prepared to get the outcome they want.

Altitude is the central variable in the Czech match. Guadalajara Stadium sits at roughly 1,570 meters above sea level. Korea prepared for the conditions by setting up a pre-tournament camp in Salt Lake City, Utah, which sits at a similar elevation, before moving to Guadalajara on June 6 to continue acclimatization training.

The Czech Republic, by contrast, trained in Mansfield, Texas — a low-altitude location — and arrived in Guadalajara only on Thursday. Czech head coach Miroslav Koubek, speaking at the official pre-match news conference, played down the concern. "Weather and environment are always brought up, but it doesn't bother us much," he said. "We have the situation well under control."

Park said the Czech coach had little choice but to answer that way. "If I had arrived the day before the match and was asked the same question, I would have had to say it doesn't matter," he said. "But that doesn't mean the altitude has no effect."

Park also argued that Mexico's strong home record is partly a product of opponents struggling to adapt to the altitude. "There is clearly an element of opposing teams being affected by the high altitude when Mexico plays at home," he said. "Korea needs to make good use of that same advantage."

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