The South Korean national football team has confirmed that their first opponent for the March friendlies will be Ivory Coast. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on the 10th that the team will play two friendly matches in Europe during the March international match window. The first match is scheduled against Ivory Coast in London on the night of March 28, followed by a second game against Austria in Vienna on April 1.

Ivory Coast is a formidable competitor, currently ranked 37th by FIFA, which is lower than South Korea's ranking of 22nd. Despite this, Ivory Coast has proven its strength by finishing first in their group during the qualifying rounds for the 2026 North American World Cup. The team boasts several top players from Europe’s leading leagues, including Amad Diallo from Manchester United and Evan Ndicka from AS Roma. This matchup marks an important opportunity for South Korea to gauge its competitiveness ahead of the World Cup, where they will face South Africa in the group stage.

Historically, South Korea has faced Ivory Coast once before and holds a 1-0 record in their favor. The KFA stated that this upcoming match is strategically planned to prepare the team for the challenges posed by South African opponents, leveraging the explosive speed and physicality characteristic of African teams. This friendly will serve as a test for South Korea's readiness as they build up to the World Cup and assess their playing style against diverse international contenders.