2002 FIFA World Cup
The 17th FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30, 2002. The South Korean national team reached the semi-finals, and large-scale street cheering took place across the country.
Start~End May 31, 2002 ~ Jun 30, 2002Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 2:51 PM
Contents
Overview
The 2002 FIFA World Cup (official name: 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan) was the 17th World Cup organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). From May 31 to June 30, 2002, 64 matches were played in 20 cities across South Korea and Japan. It was the first World Cup co-hosted by two countries and the first held in Asia. The opening ceremony and opening match were held at Seoul World Cup Stadium, and the final was held in Yokohama, Japan. Brazil won its fifth title, Germany finished as runners-up, Turkey took third place, and South Korea finished fourth (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture).
Bidding and Preparation
On May 31, 1996, FIFA's Executive Committee met in Zurich, Switzerland, and decided that the 2002 tournament would be co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. In South Korea, ten cities became host cities: Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Suwon, Jeonju, and Seogwipo. To prepare, several dedicated stadiums were built, including Seoul World Cup Stadium (opened in November 2001). The draw for the final tournament was held in Busan on December 1, 2001.
Matches of the South Korean National Team
The national team, led by coach Guus Hiddink, was placed in Group D. It recorded its first-ever win in a World Cup finals match and its first advancement to the round of 16, and then went on to reach the semi-finals. Match records follow the English Wikipedia (based on FIFA records).
| Date | Stage | Opponent | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 4 | Group stage | Poland | 2 : 0 win (Hwang Sun-hong, Yoo Sang-chul) | Busan Asiad Main Stadium |
| June 10 | Group stage | United States | 1 : 1 draw (Ahn Jung-hwan) | Daegu World Cup Stadium |
| June 14 | Group stage | Portugal | 1 : 0 win (Park Ji-sung) | Incheon Munhak Stadium |
| June 18 | Round of 16 | Italy | 2 : 1 win in extra time, golden goal (Seol Ki-hyeon, Ahn Jung-hwan) | Daejeon World Cup Stadium |
| June 22 | Quarter-final | Spain | 0 : 0, 5 : 3 win on penalties | Gwangju World Cup Stadium |
| June 25 | Semi-final | Germany | 0 : 1 loss | Seoul World Cup Stadium |
| June 29 | Third-place match | Turkey | 2 : 3 loss (Lee Eul-yong, Song Chong-gug) |
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Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 2:51 PM · r74377 · Text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.