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Logo of the Korea Football Association. / Yonhap

The on-site inspection of South Korean football by the International Association Football Federation (FIFA) has been postponed.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) stated on the 2nd, "We were notified by FIFA the previous day that the visit of the on-site inspection delegation was postponed due to internal circumstances."

Originally, FIFA had planned to visit the association during the second week of September alongside the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). A three-member delegation, including a director from the Member Associations Division, was scheduled to make a three-day, two-night visit to assess the KFA's administrative status and ongoing reform initiatives.

On the 21st of last month, FIFA sent an official letter under joint names with the AFC requesting information regarding the activities of the "K-Football Innovation Committee," which was launched under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The committee was established in July as calls for comprehensive reform across the domestic football community escalated following the South Korean national team's poor performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Co-chaired by Park Ji-sung, a member of FIFA's standing committee, and Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, the panel has been deliberating key tasks to boost South Korean football's competitiveness, including governance, youth development, and the adoption of cutting-edge technology systems.

Following FIFA's request for materials, the KFA had been preparing the relevant documentation, and FIFA subsequently conveyed its intention to visit Korea in person to conduct an on-site review.

The KFA explained, "FIFA noted that it will convey a revised schedule for the visit after reviewing its internal itinerary and consulting with the AFC."

A concrete schedule for FIFA's visit has not yet been set.

                                                                                                        Cheon Hyun-bin