Possible matchups include England, Portugal, or Belgium as knockout stage draws near
The South Korean U-17 national team has progressed to the round of 32 at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup while remaining unbeaten in the group stage. However, the team is now likely to face a challenging opponent from Europe as the knockout round approaches.
The squad, led by head coach Baek Ki-tae, defeated Côte d’Ivoire 3–1 on November 10 (KST) at Aspire Zone in Doha, Qatar. Having previously beaten Mexico 2–1 and drawn 0–0 with Switzerland, Korea finished Group F with two wins and one draw (7 points, 5 goals scored and 2 conceded). Despite having the same points total, Korea placed second behind Switzerland based on goal difference.
This year’s tournament marks the first time the U-17 World Cup has expanded from 24 to 48 teams, divided into 12 groups. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best-performing third-place teams, advance to the round of 32.
Once the group stage concludes, teams are ranked based on points, goal difference, goals scored, and fair play standings, which will determine the knockout stage bracket. Korea currently stands around third among the group runners-up, meaning their opponent will likely be another second-place team from a highly competitive group.
The strongest possible contenders include England, Portugal, and Belgium, all of whom recorded two wins and one loss during the group stage and demonstrated formidable scoring power. England posted 11 goals and 4 conceded, Portugal tallied 13 goals and 3 conceded, and Belgium registered 11 goals and 3 conceded, signaling that the round of 32 will be far from an easy assignment for Korea.
South Korea has reached the quarterfinals of this tournament three times—in 1987, 2009, and 2019. The current team’s achievement of advancing unbeaten from the group stage marks the first time in ten years, since the 2015 Chile tournament. This is especially meaningful given Korea’s previous winless exit in the 2023 Indonesia World Cup.
The official round of 32 draw is scheduled for November 12 at 3:30 a.m. (KST). Korea now aims to surpass its historical best and move beyond the quarterfinal threshold.