The path for the South Korean national football team to reach the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup is becoming increasingly narrow.

The favorable scenario for South Korea in Group D has disappeared. On the 26th (Korean time), Australia and Paraguay played to a 0-0 draw in the final third match of Group D at Bay Area Stadium in San Francisco, California, USA, splitting one point each.

Having completed all group stage matches, South Korea is now aiming for a Round of 32 ticket awarded to the top eight teams among the third-placed teams across 12 groups. The results of other group matches will determine South Korea's fate.

Football fans had initially predicted that an Australian victory or a Paraguayan win by two or more goals in Group D would be favorable for South Korea. However, a scoreless draw completely dashed this scenario.

Previously, the expected results for South Korea did not materialize in Groups E and F either, causing two scenarios to already disappear. With Group D now also eliminated, the number of remaining possibilities has been significantly reduced.

■ Six Remaining Scenarios South Korea Can Hope For

▲ Group G: Egypt defeats Iran ▲ Group H: Spain defeats Uruguay ▲ Group I: Senegal defeats Iraq by one goal or a draw ▲ Group J: Austria wins or Algeria wins by two or more goals ▲ Group K: Uzbekistan defeats Congo or a draw ▲ Group L: Ghana defeats Croatia

South Korea must watch the remaining group stage results and aim for a turnaround in the rankings competition among third-placed teams. Points, goal difference, goals scored, and other detailed records will be the key variables determining the final rankings.

With the Group D scenario collapsed, South Korea's chances of advancing to the Round of 32 have become narrower than before, but not all possibilities are closed. South Korea's fate will be ultimately decided by the remaining match results from Groups G through L.

[This article was written with AI assistance. This article is based on match results publicly available as of now, and qualification for the Round of 32 may vary depending on the remaining group stage match results.]