2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup-bound Korea national soccer team has completed applications for base camp candidate sites.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) delivered about 70 base camp candidate sites in the CONCACAF region to each participating country because this World Cup is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, and after discussions, the Korea national soccer team selected two sites located in the Guadalajara area of Mexico as base camp candidates and submitted them to FIFA.
The specific locations of the applied base camps and information about backup candidate sites are confidential, and separate guidance will be provided when FIFA makes an official confirmation later.
In the World Cup group-stage draw, Korea, which was placed in Group A, will play both its first- and second-round group matches in Guadalajara, a high-altitude location at 1,571 meters above sea level.
Accordingly, the national team held multiple meetings based on input from domestic and overseas exercise physiology and high-altitude training experts and the medical subcommittee of the Korea Football Association (KFA).
As a result, after compiling opinions that a period of prior adaptation to the high-altitude environment is essential, the base camp candidate site was decided to be Guadalajara.
FIFA said the priority principles for base camp allocation are: ▲teams in higher draw pots ▲teams with more matches in the host city ▲teams with shorter air travel between base camp and match venues ▲teams with higher FIFA rankings.
FIFA will finalize each country's base camp according to these priority principles and notify each football association on the 16th (local time).
Hong Myung-bo, the national team coach, said, "Because the high altitude is a somewhat unfamiliar environment for our players, a cautious approach was necessary, so we listened to experts in each field and conducted in-depth internal discussions," and added, "If the base camp is finally confirmed, we will carefully review and decide when to begin high-altitude adaptation and how to prepare for the hot and humid environment of Monterrey, where the third group-stage match will be held."
Meanwhile, before entering the Mexico base camp, the national team is separately reviewing a pre camp location where it will conduct training, and after a final coaching staff meeting will finalize the departure schedule to that site and the date of entry into the final base camp.
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