Ghana will aim to end the calendar year on a positive note when they face South Korea in an international friendly on Tuesday, November 18, at the Seoul World Cup Stadium - a match that also serves as the Taeguk Warriors’ final outing of 2025.
The Black Stars, ranked 73rd in the latest FIFA standings, travel to Asia as part of their ongoing preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, for which they have already sealed qualification.
Despite being ranked below South Korea (22nd), Ghana have historically enjoyed a competitive rivalry with the Asians, with Korea holding a narrow 4-3 edge in head-to-head meetings.
Their most recent encounter - the thrilling 3-2 victory for Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar - remains fresh in memory and adds another layer of intrigue to the fixture.
South Korea come into the clash in good form, having defeated Bolivia 2-0 in Daejeon on Friday, November 14.
A win over Ghana would give Hong Myung-bo’s side consecutive victories to close out the year, and more importantly, strengthen their position in FIFA’s Pot 2 ahead of next month’s World Cup draw.
With Ecuador (23rd) and Austria (24th) close behind, Korea must maintain or improve their rank to secure a Pot 2 slot - a strategic advantage that could help them avoid top-tier opponents in the group stage.
Tuesday’s match, therefore, carries high stakes for the hosts, who are pushing hard to retain that coveted ranking position.
Ghana, however, travel with their own ambitions. Under the guidance of Otto Addo - the German-born Ghanaian tactician who returned to lead the Black Stars last year - the team has shown renewed structure, discipline and competitive edge.
Addo’s reunion with his former protege Son Heung-min, whom he coached in Hamburg’s youth setup, is one of the storylines capturing attention in Seoul.
South Korea’s captain, Son, enters the match with 54 international goals and is chasing the all-time national scoring record held by Cha Bum-kun (58).
After netting against Bolivia, the LAFC forward will look to continue that momentum against a Ghana side still evaluating depth and tactical options ahead of the global showpiece.
In attack, the Koreans are expected to start Genk forward Oh Hyun-kyu, who has scored six goals under Hong Myung-bo - the most by any striker in his tenure.
Cho Kyu-sung, the star of Korea’s 2022 meeting with Ghana after his iconic headed brace, is expected to feature from the bench.
The match presents an important test for Ghana against a technically disciplined opponent.
With a growing pool of emerging talents and senior players fighting to cement their World Cup spots, the Black Stars will see this fixture as a valuable opportunity to measure their progress and send a message ahead of 2026.
While South Korea are determined to finish the year strongly and protect their FIFA ranking, Ghana will arrive in Seoul with confidence, motivation, and a desire to repeat the heroics of Qatar.
Another compelling chapter in this intercontinental rivalry awaits on Tuesday night.
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