It is the first time since its founding that the Korea Football Association (KFA) is selecting the head coach of the senior national team through an open recruitment process. In the past, head coaches for the men's U-20 and Olympic national teams have been hired through open recruitment, but there has been no precedent of applying this method to the top post of the senior national team.

The national team head coach position is currently vacant, following the resignation of former head coach Hong Myung-bo, who took responsibility for the team's failure to advance to the round of 32 at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.

The KFA held a Power Enhancement Committee meeting on the 3rd of last month and decided at a board meeting on the 24th to play six A-matches between September and November under an interim coach system. Accordingly, the association began accepting applications for the interim head coach and coaching staff from both domestic and international candidates on July 30 and closed the submissions at 5:00 PM on the 9th.

Applicants were required to apply as a single team unit consisting of a head coach and a coaching staff of at least five and up to seven members. Regarding qualifications, domestic head coach applicants are required to hold an AFC Pro Diploma (or equivalent) and a Level 2 Professional Sports Instructor certification. Coaches must hold an AFC A Diploma and a Level 2 Professional Sports Instructor certification (based on domestic standards), while foreign coaches are required to have the relevant certifications in their field and at least five years of coaching experience.

The KFA has not disclosed specific details such as the number of applicants or the list of candidates. This is due to concerns that it could influence the evaluation process and negotiations. It has been confirmed that multiple domestic and international coaches have applied, but the details remain confidential.

The upcoming schedule is as follows. The KFA plans to form an evaluation committee this week, which will include some members of the National Team Power Enhancement Committee as well as external figures. Next week, the association will review the submitted documents for eligibility and conduct online interviews. Based on the evaluation results, a priority negotiation ranking will be determined before entering the negotiation process.

The selected interim coach will lead the national team through the November A-match period, and the KFA plans to complete the appointment by August.