South Korea began their journey to the 2026 World Cup with a resounding 5-0 win over Singapore in AFC qualification on November 16, 2023. The Taegeuk Warriors, led by captain Son Heung-min, delivered a professional performance at home to secure three crucial points in their opening group match. The home side established control from the outset, with their attacking quality proving too much for the visitors. The deadlock was broken midway through the first half, and South Korea added a second before the interval to take a comfortable lead. The second half saw the hosts continue to press, netting three more times to put a definitive stamp on the match result. This victory sets a positive tone for South Korea's qualification campaign as they seek to qualify for an 11th consecutive World Cup, while Singapore faces an uphill battle in a group containing such strong opposition. Manager Jürgen Klinsmann will have been pleased with the clean sheet and the spread of goals across the team.