▲ Members of the South Korean men's Olympic football team train at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on June 23, 2021. (Yonhap)
▲ Kim Hak-bum (C), head coach of the South Korean men's Olympic football team, directs his players during a practice session at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on June 23, 2021. (Yonhap)

football-Olympics

S. Korea to host France in Olympic football tuneup match in July

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will take on France in an Olympic men's football tuneup match in Seoul next month, the sport's national governing body announced Tuesday.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said the South Korea-France match will kick off at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on July 16. Coached by Kim Hak-bum, South Korea will also play a prep match on July 13 against an opponent to be determined later.

Kim is scheduled to announce his final 18-man roster for the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday. Kim opened his final camp last week.

South Korea will depart for Japan a day after playing France. The Olympic Games' opening ceremony is July 23, but the men's football tournament starts a day earlier due to scheduling reasons.

In Group B, South Korea will play New Zealand on July 22, Romania on July 25 and Honduras on July 28. The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals.

France will take on Japan, South Africa and Mexico in Group A, meaning they and South Korea could meet again at the Olympics.

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