Charlie Alford

Korean Football — Allegations of sexual services to foreign referees

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:9 August 2026
Post last modified:9 August 2026

New allegations have reopened a dark chapter for the South Korean Football Association following a report by the South Korean network JTBC, which revealed that the organisation provided services, including “sexual entertainment,” to foreign referees during their visits to South Korea for international matches between 2011 and 2012. According to the report, JTBC based its findings on investigation documents from the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, dating back to 2016, as well as the association’s credit card records. These records reportedly showed payments linked to visits by referees to massage parlors and adult entertainment venues. The report details…

Criminal investigations rock South Korean football

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:6 August 2026
Post last modified:8 August 2026

South Korean police searched the headquarters of the Korea Football Association (KFA) on 6 August as part of a criminal investigation into the appointment of national team manager Hong Myung-bo. This investigation comes a month after the country’s participation in the 2026 World Cup. Investigators are examining allegations of administrative irregularities and unlawful interference in the 2024 hiring process. The raids follow South Korea’s shock group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup. This result reignited criticism of Hong’s appointment and intensified public and political demands for accountability. This came after one of the national team’s worst tournament performances. Inside the criminal…