Veteran star Son Heung-min will lead South Korea’s World Cup campaign

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Veteran star Son Heung-min will lead South Korea’s World Cup campaign as coach Hong Myung-bo named his 26-man squad on Saturday.

The tournament, hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, will be the fourth World Cup for Son, who left Tottenham last summer after 10 years in the Premier League to join Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer.

It is also South Korea’s 11th successive appearance, a streak that stretches back to 1986.

Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae also made the list for the 48-team tournament.

Coach Hong called up influential midfielder Hwang In-beom although the Feyenoord star is struggling with an ankle injury.

“Our primary goal is to reach the round of 32,” Hong said in Seoul.

“We do not know what will happen after that. We could go even further than we could have imagined. Our World Cup goal is not the round of 32; our primary goal is the round of 32.”

Korea reached the last 16 in 2022, defeating Portugal in the final group game, and then lost to five-time champion Brazil.

Hong was the captain of the team that made the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup and was also in charge at the 2014 tournament when the Taeguk Warriors collected just one point in Brazil.

Korea will play all three Group A games in Mexico, starting June 11 against the Czech Republic before taking on Mexico a week later and then playing South Africa on June 24.

Results have been poor leading into the tournament with a 4-0 loss to Ivory Coast in March followed by a 1-0 defeat against Austria.

Korea heads to Salt Lake City on Monday to begin preparations and face Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador in its final warmup games.

South Korea squad:

Goalkeepers: Jo Hyeon-woo, Kim Seung-gyu, Song Bum-keun.

Defenders: Kim Min-jae, Cho Yu-min, Lee Han-beom, Kim Tae-hyeon, Park Jin-seob, Lee Gi-hyuk, Lee Tae-seok, Seol Young-woo, Jens Castrop, Kim Moon-hwan.

Midfielders: Yang Hyun-jun, Paik Seung-ho, Hwang In-beom, Kim Jin-gyu, Bae Jun-ho, Eom Ji-sung, Hwang Hee-chan, Lee Dong-gyeong, Lee Jae-sung, Lee Kang-in.

Forwards: Oh Hyeon-gyu, Son Heung-min, Cho Gue-sung

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

South Korea's national soccer team head coach Hong Myung-bo speaks during a news conference announcing South Korea's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korea's national soccer team head coach Hong Myung-bo, fourth from left, poses with team coaches for the media after a news conference announcing South Korea's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korea's national soccer team head coach Hong Myung-bo speaks during a news conference announcing South Korea's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

FILE -South Korea's Son Heung-min goes for the ball during the international friendly soccer match between South Korea and Ivory Coast in Milton Keynes, England, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland, File)

VIENNA (AP) — The Eurovision Song Contest reached its sequin-drenched final on Saturday, with tight security and rainy weather failing to dent the enthusiasm of fans, or the opposition of critics who think Israel shouldn’t be invited to the party.

After a week’s buildup, acts from 25 countries took to the stage at the Wiener Stadthalle arena in Vienna to battle for the continent’s pop crown. Millions of viewers around the world will cast judgment on a fiery Finnish violinist, a Moldovan folk rapper, a Serbian metal band and many more at Eurovision’s 70th anniversary event.

The campy, colorful contest has been likened to the World Cup with songs instead of soccer. And like global sports, it often becomes entangled in politics. The contest has been clouded for a third year by calls for Israel to be excluded over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere, with five longtime participants — Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia — boycotting in protest.

The show opened with a performance by last year’s winner, the operatically trained Austrian singer JJ, and an Olympics-style flag parade of the 25 finalists. Then it was on to performances by the musicians, who had just 3 minutes to win over millions of viewers who, along with national juries of music professionals, pick the winner.

First up was Denmark’s Søren Torpegaard Lund, among the contest favorites for the sultry “Før Vi Går Hjem” (“Before We Go Home”), followed by Germany’s Sarah Engels with the power ballad “Fire,” the first of doubtless several performances to make liberal use of jets of flame.

Israeli competitor Noam Bettan was cheered as he performed “Michelle,” a rock ballad in Hebrew, French and English. Earlier in the week, four people were ejected for trying to disrupt his semifinal performance. Then came “Dancing on the Ice,” a techno-ballad by Belgium's Essyla.

Ukrainian singer Leléka offered the ethereal, beautiful "Ridnym,” and Australian star Delta Goodrem showed what a diva should be like with her slick midtempo ballad “Eclipse” — and a bravura performance that sees her raised into the air above a glittery piano. A European country would likely host for Australia next year if she wins.

Serbian metal band Lavina provided a dramatic change of pace with the angsty “Kraj Mene” — the sort of head-spinning variety that is the joy of Eurovision.

Pleasant ballads like “Bella” by Aidan from Malta alternated with the five-part vocal harmonies of Croatian folk-pop group Lelek, the operatic voice of France's Monroe and British act Look Mum No Computer’s jokey oddity “Eins, Zwei, Drei.”

Newcomers looking to grasp the essence of Eurovision and its interplay of pop and politics should look no further than two of the fan favorites. Rapper Satoshi’s ebullient “Viva, Moldova” is a bouncy, pro-European song from a country moving toward the European Union after decades in Moscow’s orbit. Greek artist Akylas’ song “Ferto,” or “Bring It,” provides a playful take on conspicuous consumption in a country still scarred by the economic wounds of the 2008 financial crisis.

Both are likely to score highly with viewers, though national juries, which tend to be more impressed by technical excellence, may be less impressed. Winners are chosen by a mix of votes from the two, translated into points by a system confusing even to Eurovision fans. The act with the most points wins, and their country gets to host the competition next year.

Finland is the favorite in betting odds with “Liekinheitin,” or “Flamethrower,” a fiery duet between the singing of pop star Pete Parkkonen and the fiddling of classical violinist Linda Lampenius.

But Eurovision often produces surprises.

“Eurovision has never really been a contest for big stars. It’s largely been a contest for underdogs,” said Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic. “People like to see the underdog on stage. They like to the artist-in-the-making on stage or an artist from a smaller, poorer country on stage.”

Viewers around the world can vote for their favorites during and for a short time after the performances, before the results are tallied. Viewers in participating countries can vote up to 10 times but aren’t allowed to vote for their own country’s act. Viewers in the U.S. and other nonparticipating countries can vote online at www.esc.vote.

Street protests opposing Israel’s inclusion over the conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza have been smaller in Vienna than at the 2024 contest in Malmo, Sweden and last year’s event in Basel, Switzerland.

Hundreds marched near the contest arena before Saturday's final, some holding placards saying “Block Eurovision.” Pro-Palestinian groups also staged an outdoor concert on Friday under the banner “No stage for genocide.”

“Inviting Israel on such a beautiful stage as the Eurovision Song Contest stage is an affront to all the people who believe in humanity, who believe in love and togetherness,” said Congolese-Austrian artist Patrick Bongola, one of the organizers.

The five-nation boycott is a revenue and viewership blow to an event that organizers say was watched by 166 million people around the world last year.

Still, Eurovision is eyeing expansion, with a spinoff Eurovision Song Contest Asia due to take place in Bangkok in November.

Eurovision director Martin Green urged viewers to put politics aside and enjoy the “brilliant, wonderful, heartfelt show.”

Vuletic says political controversy is nothing new. The first Eurovision boycott was in 1969 — ironically, by Austria, which refused to send a delegation to Spain under dictator Francisco Franco.

“We’ve seen very politicized editions of the contest in the recent past,” Vuletic said. “All of them were very much mired in political controversy, yet Eurovision continues."

Associated Press writers Hilary Fox and Philipp Jenne in Vienna contributed to this report.

Delta Goodrem from Australia performs the song "Eclipse" during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Noam Bettan from Israel performs the song "Michelle" during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Delta Goodrem from Australia who will perform the song "Eclipse" walks onstage with her counties flag during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Noam Bettan from Israel walks onto the stage carrying his countries flag ahead of the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Soren Torpegaard Lund from Denmark performs the song "For Vi Gar Hjem" during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Demonstrators protest against Israel ahead of the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Spectators wait for the start of the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Delta Goodrem from Australia performs the song "Eclipse" during the dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Satoshi from Moldova performs the song "Viva, Moldova!" during the dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Akylas from Greece performs the song "Ferto" during the dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen from Finland perform the song "Liekinheitin" during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Aliona Moon sings "Viva Moldova" during her featured performance with Satoshi from Moldova during the dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, Friday, May 15, 2026. CORRECTS PERFORMERS NAME TO ALIONA MOON FROM SATOSHI. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)