Central S. Korean town to host World Cup qualifier in Sept.

The central town of Hwaseong will host South Korea's World Cup qualifier against Laos this fall, the national football federation said Wednesday.

Hwaseong Sports Complex Main Stadium in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, south of Seoul, will play host to Laos on Sept. 3, the Korea Football Association said. The kickoff time hasn't been determined.

It will be South Korea's second match in the ongoing second round of Asian qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

South Korea defeated Myanmar 2-0 in its first qualifier on June 16.

South Korea is in Group G with Laos, Myanmar, Kuwait and Lebanon. There are eight groups of five nations and the eight group winners, plus the four-best runners-up, will advance to the third round. The second round will run through March next year.

South Korea has competed in the past eight consecutive World Cups.

The KFA said Hwaseong will host the senior men's national team for the third time overall, and the first since July 2013 during the East Asian Cup.

The 52nd-ranked South Korea has won all three previous meetings against Laos, ranked 177th. Their last meeting came in April 2000 during the AFC Asian Cup qualification, and South Korea cruised to a 9-0 victory.

So far in the current second qualification round, Laos drew with Myanmar 2-2 on June 11 and lost to Lebanon on June 16.

After facing Laos, South Korea will visit Kuwait on Oct. 8, host Myanmar on Nov. 12, and play Laos on the road on Nov. 17.

South Korea will then close out the round with two matches at home next spring: Lebanon on March 24 and Kuwait on March 29. (Yonhap)