"AFC Champions League" Even semi-professional Australia couldn't beat it! South Korea lost in the first battle, Korean media angrily criticized: The weakest in the world

The South Korean team was defeated by Australia in the first game of the AFC Champions League. (AP)

[Sports Center/Comprehensive Report] The 2026 Asian Professional Baseball Championship ignited the war today. The first game was a big upset. The South Korean team composed of professional players lost to the semi-professional Australia 7:8. In response, the South Korean media criticized the South Korean team in this AFC Champions League as "the weakest in the world."

Eligibility for the AFC Champions League is players under 24 years old or within the third year of their professional baseball career. Up to three wild card players under the age of 29 can be selected. In principle, each team has 28 players. The South Korean team is led by Korean professional home run king Kim Baoyong. Before the departure, they also vowed to win the first championship in the history of the tournament. The team has won runner-up in the previous two games.

However, South Korea was defeated in the first game. "Sports Korea" pointed out that the South Korean team's pitching and playing performance in this campaign was disappointing. The outside world has long believed that the standard of Australian professional baseball is not as good as South Korean professional baseball, because Australian professional baseball is closer to semi-professional, with fewer games, lower player salaries, and many players have part-time jobs. In comparison, the South Korean team plays 144 games a year, so its overall strength should be stronger.

"Sports Korea" even mentioned that the South Korean team was transported to the all-amateur Japanese team in Nagoya Asia this year. At that time, many public opinions supported the South Korean team and believed that the Japanese amateur baseball level was very high. However, this time it was reversed by the semi-professional Australian team. "We have to admit that the standard of South Korean baseball is in the later stages."