South Korea drops to 7th in round-of-32 race as Group H results loom large

South Korea's chances of reaching the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America could swing dramatically depending on the outcome of Group H's final matches.

Spain and Uruguay face off at Estadio Guadalajara in Mexico at 9 a.m. Saturday (Korean Standard Time) in their Group H third-round match, while Saudi Arabia and Cabo Verde meet simultaneously at Houston Stadium in the United States.

Spain lead Group H with one win and one draw. Uruguay (two draws) and Cabo Verde (two draws) are level on points and goal difference in second and third place respectively, with Uruguay holding the edge on goals scored. Saudi Arabia sit fourth with one draw and one loss.

South Korea (one win, two losses) fell to seventh in the overall round-of-32 standings after Senegal routed Iraq 5-0 in Group I earlier. The best-case scenario for South Korea is a Spain victory over Uruguay.

The worst case would be Uruguay beating Spain while either Saudi Arabia or Cabo Verde wins the other match outright. Under that scenario, the Group H third-place finisher would hold a record of at least one win, one draw and one loss, giving them a stronger standing in the round-of-32 race. Should Group H results turn against South Korea, coach Hong Myung-bo's side would have little hope of advancing.