South Korea FA accused of sexually entertaining referees before matches

August 08, 2026 • 0 • min read

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South Korea FA accused of sexually entertaining referees before matches

KEY TAKEAWAYS

KFA allegedly paid for sexual entertainment for foreign referees in 2011-12.
The allegations stem from a 2016 government audit and JTBC report.
KFA apologised and pledged reforms amid wider governance concerns.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) has apologised after allegations emerged that foreign referees were provided with sexual entertainment before international matches in South Korea between 2011 and 2012.

The claims, first reported by South Korean broadcaster JTBC and news agency Yonhap, are based on credit card statements and documents from a 2016 government audit.

According to the reports, the KFA allegedly paid for visiting match officials to attend massage parlours and adult entertainment venues in Seoul and other South Korean cities that hosted international fixtures.

The matches in question reportedly included qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 London Olympics, along with friendly games.

KFA allegedly paid for entertainment

JTBC reported that the KFA used corporate credit cards to pay millions of won for sexual entertainment at establishments in Seoul, Changwon and Ulsan.

The audit reportedly identified multiple occasions between March 2011 and March 2012 when visiting referees received such entertainment.

The officials were said to have come from countries including Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Bahrain and Uzbekistan.

Reports differ on the precise number of officials involved, with figures of around 10 and as many as 20 match officials cited in coverage of the audit.

A former KFA official reportedly described the practice as "common practice at the time," whilst the reports suggested that some referees had come to expect such treatment from the association.

The allegations concern a period in which South Korea remained unbeaten across the matches identified in the reports, winning five and drawing two.

Among the fixtures cited were South Korea's 2-0 Olympic qualifying victory over Oman on September 21, 2011, followed by a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win against Kuwait.

A subsequent Olympic qualifier against Qatar ended 0-0, although South Korea had already secured qualification by that stage.

South Korea were strong favourites in the matches cited in the reports.

KFA issues apology

The KFA has since apologised over the allegations and said it has introduced stricter internal guidelines since the incidents reportedly took place.

There may have been unfortunate incidents 15 years ago, but we have since implemented strict internal guidelines and are making every effort to prevent anything like that from happening again.

In a separate statement, the KFA said it was "deeply sorry for the disappointment and concern" caused by a series of controversies surrounding the organisation.

We express our sincere apologies for causing concerns over a range of issues, from a parliamentary hearing and an unprecedented police raid to media reports about incidents from more than a decade ago that even members within the federation were unaware of.

The KFA pledged sweeping reforms aimed at improving transparency and restoring public confidence in the organisation.

KFA already facing wider crisis

The latest controversy comes as the KFA faces mounting scrutiny over its management and decision-making.

Police recently raided the association's offices as part of an investigation into the 2024 appointment of Hong Myung-bo as South Korea's head coach.

Local reports said investigators were examining whether KFA officials had violated internal procedures during the appointment.

Hong's tenure also came under intense criticism following South Korea's disappointing campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The national team exited the tournament early, prompting widespread criticism of the coach and the football association.

Hong subsequently resigned, saying that he had repeatedly questioned whether his decisions were in the best interests of Korean football.

Over the past two years I asked myself the same question whenever I had to make important decisions, select players or prepare for training session and matches, "Is this the right choice for Korean football?"

I can not say every decision has been the right one, but I can tell you that I have made every decision with Korean football in mind.

Could FIFA still punish the KFA?

The age of the allegations could make any potential FIFA disciplinary action more complicated.

According to reports citing the Korea Times, breaches of FIFA's ethics regulations may be subject to a five-year limitation period, whilst cases involving bribery and corruption can reportedly have a 10-year limitation period.

If those limitations apply, the events from 2011 and 2012 could fall outside the relevant periods for prosecution.

However, the precise legal and disciplinary implications would depend on the applicable FIFA regulations and the nature of any formal investigation.

The allegations nevertheless add another layer of controversy to an already turbulent period for the KFA, which is under pressure to improve its governance, transparency and internal procedures.

The association has not indicated that the historical allegations reflect its current practices and has stressed that stricter internal controls have since been introduced.