KFA evaluated 12 director candidates in 5 hours… “The final candidate will be determined at the next meeting” | Dong-A Ilbo

The Korea Football Association has held a marathon meeting to review candidates for the next head coach. Now there is only one step left to select the final candidate.

On the afternoon of the 18th, Jeong Hae-sung, chairman of the Korea Football Association’s Power Strengthening Committee, and other committee members held the 9th meeting, which lasted about five hours, at a location in Seoul to elect a new head coach for the national team.

According to the association, nine members including Chairman Jung Hae-sung attended the meeting. Gangwon FC head coach Yoon Jung-hwan attended via video, while Soongsil University head coach Park Sung-bae did not attend.

The Power Strengthening Committee evaluated the 12 head coach candidates selected at the meeting held on the 3rd by watching videos and materials on key tactical details such as offensive and defensive organization and playing style, and recommended negotiation candidates.

The Empowered Committee plans to select the final negotiating partners through its tenth meeting to be held soon.

The relevant person in charge of the association said, “The candidates for the next board of directors include both domestic and foreign coaches, but there are also more foreign coaches. Negotiations will be carried out after the next meeting. “The final candidates will be around 5 people,” he explained.

The empowered committee is expected to speed up the process of appointing new directors this month.

In February last year, the Football Association fired head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who had been in office for less than a year, due to lack of leadership and attendance issues. Chairman Jung Hae-sung announced in early May that a new head coach would be appointed, but encountered difficulties in appointing the next head coach and temporarily handed the baton to coach Hwang Sun-hong and coach Kim Do-hoon in March and June respectively. The Asian Zone II qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA North and Central American World Cup were held.

Even in the chaotic situation of changing the head coach three times due to the inability to appoint the next head coach, the South Korean team still completed the second round of the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup with 5 wins and 2 losses, and maintained the first-tier position in the third round of qualifiers, with 1 draw and no losses.

The third qualifying round starts in September, but there is no time. Time is running out and we must determine both the national team and the opponent at the same time, which will be decided after the third qualifying group draw on the 27th.

South Korea experienced difficulties and a coaching change in the previous World Cup third round of qualifiers, and it will take time for the new leader to reduce trial and error.

There will be 48 teams participating in the 2026 North and Central American World Cup, with Asia getting 8.5 places. The South Korean team, aiming for the final, needs to get six tickets to the third round of qualifiers and start preparations as soon as possible.

(Seoul = News 1)