Korea to take on Saudi Arabia, Qatar in Nov. football friendlies

Korea will square off against Saudi Arabia and Qatar in two football friendly matches next month in Doha, according to the Korea Football Association (KFA). The Taegeuk Warriors will host 55th-ranked Saudi Arabia on November 13 and then face 60th-ranked Qatar on November 17. The first game will kick off at 5:30 p.m. local time, while the second match is set to begin at 5 p.m. local time. These matches fall within the final FIFA international match window of 2026.

The KFA announced the friendly matches as a means to prepare Korea, currently ranked 32nd in the world, for the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup, which begins in January in Saudi Arabia. In their previous 19 meetings against Saudi Arabia, Korea has claimed five victories, nine draws, and five losses. Against Qatar, Korea's record includes six wins, two draws, and three losses.

Initially, the KFA aimed to stage the match against Saudi Arabia in Saudi Arabia; however, the decision was made to relocate the game to Qatar due to threats from Yemen's Houthi rebels. These matches will also mark the final two outings for Korea's interim head coach, Robert Mor.