Kuwaiti players hold their final training session before World Cup qualifying match against South Korea on Thursday.

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 12: Kuwait has completed its final training session at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in preparation to face South Korea on Thursday in the fifth round of Group Two qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Kuwait’s last practice session will be held at 6:30 pm, while the South Korean squad will train at 5:00 pm.

Head Coach Juan Pizzi and the technical staff, along with administrative personnel, have focused over recent days on detailed meetings with players to reinforce the coach's strategies, address areas for improvement from their last match against Palestine, and refine their approach for the upcoming game.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Yousef, Chairman of the Federation, along with Board members, attended the training sessions daily to show their support, motivating the players to aim for their best performance and achieve a positive result.

All players are actively participating in training except for Hussein Ashkanani, who is undergoing intensive treatment for a muscle injury under the care of Dr. Abdul Majeed Al-Bannai, Director of the Federation's Health Department. Ashkanani’s chances of playing against Korea are slim, and Kuwait will also miss Ahmed Al-Dhafiri due to a yellow card suspension. Players who missed earlier sessions, including Youssef Nasser, Hamad Al-Harbi, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, and Youssef Majed, have rejoined daily training.

A press conference featuring coaches and players from both Kuwait and South Korea will be held at Jaber Stadium, alongside a technical meeting earlier at the same venue.

The Asian Football Confederation has rescheduled the match between Palestine and South Korea, originally part of Group Two Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, to a neutral location at Amman International Stadium in Jordan. The game will now kick off next Tuesday at 5:00 pm.