2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup: South Korea’s Young Stars Shine Despite Draw Against Yemen

Translation result. ▲ Nam I-an ⓒKorea Football Association ▲ ⓒKorea Football Association

[SPOTV News—Reporter Park Dae-sung] The players who moved up an age group last year under coach Baek Ki-tae have stepped into regular starting roles this season. Although they didn’t find the net in the Asian Cup’s final group match, 17-year-old Nam I-an, who leads South Korea’s frontline, offers reason to believe this side can compete on the global stage.

Coach Kim Hyun-jun’s U-17 national team drew 0-0 with Yemen on the 14th (Korea time) in the final Group C match of the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup at King Abdullah Sports Training Stadium (Pitch B) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

South Korea went in hoping for three points against a lower-ranked Yemen, but as is common in youth tournaments the game was tight. The teams were comparable across the match—South Korea had 12 shots to Yemen’s 8, while shots on target were even at 3-3.

Nam, who opened his account in the group’s second match against Vietnam, started again and pushed for another goal but couldn’t break the deadlock. He first gained international experience last year after moving up into Baek Ki-tae’s U-17 squad. Kim Ji-woo, a teammate from that campaign, came on in the second half and worked the flanks but couldn’t trouble Yemen’s goalkeeper.

Despite the unexpected draw, South Korea finished second in Group C with one win and two draws—UAE (1-1), Vietnam (4-1), Yemen (0-0)—collecting five points and advancing to the Asian Cup quarterfinals.

By reaching the last eight, Kim Hyun-jun’s side clinched qualification for the U-17 World Cup in Qatar this November, marking the team’s fourth straight appearance at the tournament.