Seoul: South Korea will host Venezuela and Uzbekistan in men's football friendly matches in October, the national football federation announced Tuesday. The Korea Football Association (KFA) stated that the Taegeuk Warriors are set to face Venezuela on October 2, followed by a match against Uzbekistan four days later. Details regarding venues and kickoff times are yet to be confirmed.

According to Yonhap News Agency, these matches are scheduled during the upcoming FIFA international match window, which spans from September 21 to October 6. The KFA is currently in discussions with two potential opponents for matches in September. South Korea recently dropped to No. 32 in the FIFA rankings after their group-stage exit at the FIFA World Cup. Venezuela, ranked 47th, did not qualify for the tournament.

The teams have a history, with South Korea defeating Venezuela 3-1 in their only previous encounter in September 2014 in Bucheon. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan, who made their World Cup debut last month, were eliminated in the group stage and saw their ranking drop from 50th to 60th. South Korea and Uzbekistan have faced off 16 times, with South Korea dominating the series with 11 wins, four draws, and one loss. Their last meeting ended in a 4-0 victory for South Korea in November 2018 in Australia.

The position of head coach for the South Korean men's team remains vacant following the resignation of Hong Myung-bo in late June after the World Cup. The KFA announced last week that a caretaker manager will be appointed for the next two FIFA match windows, with the second window scheduled for November 9-17, before appointing a full-time head coach.