South Korea become Asia's most successful World Cup side

South Korea moved to the top of Asia’s World Cup win chart with a 2-1 victory over Czech Republic at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara.

The result gave South Korea an eighth World Cup win, one more than Japan’s seven. Australia are next on five, followed by Saudi Arabia on four and Iran on three.

It also came during South Korea’s 12th straight World Cup appearance. The win adds to a record that already included the most World Cup appearances by an Asian nation, alongside Japan and Australia on 12, and the most World Cup matches played by an Asian team at 41.

South Korea’s previous World Cup wins came against Poland, Portugal and Italy in 2002, Togo in 2006, Greece in 2010, Portugal again in 2022 and now Czech Republic in 2026. Their 1994 meeting with Spain ended level on FIFA’s records, despite some accounts listing a penalty shootout win.