Korea's 'Red Devils' cheer squad holds its own against sea of green at Guadalajara Stadium

Mexican fans march through the concourses of Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, singing chants ahead of Korea's Group A match against Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Thursday (local time). Korea Times photo by Park Joo-hee

By Hankookilbo

• Published Jun 19, 2026 5:54 PM KST
• Updated Jun 19, 2026 6:00 PM KST

Mexican fans keep celebrating inside stadium long after final whistle

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — The floor of Guadalajara Stadium shook as the host nation took the field. More than 45,000 Mexican fans packed the stands, chanting and singing throughout the match in passionate support of their national team. The roar was so deafening that conversations with the person next to you were nearly impossible. Stadium noise levels reportedly peaked at an astonishing 149 decibels.

Yet the roughly 500 Korean supporters, gathered behind the players' tunnel and in the upper section behind the goal to its right, refused to be overwhelmed. Vastly outnumbered, they waved Korean flags relentlessly and delivered what could only be described as a "one against a hundred" cheering performance.

Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, where Korea faced Mexico in their second Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday (local time), had already turned into a sea of green four hours before kickoff. Fans wearing Mexico's signature green jerseys patiently waited in long lines under the sweltering sun to pass through security checks. Despite the heat and lengthy wait, few appeared bothered. Instead, supporters smiled, took photos together and chatted excitedly as anticipation built ahead of the match.

Pre-match concerns over fan safety ultimately proved unfounded. Mexican supporters warmly greeted the visibly outnumbered Korean fans, shouting, "¡Viva Corea!" and "Good luck!" while many asked to take photos together. Lee Hyun-jung, 50, and Lim Jung-ho, 49, who traveled from Japan to attend the match, said they had flown for 17 hours before arriving in Mexico earlier that morning.

"We came all this way just for this game," they said. "Mexicans are very friendly toward Koreans, so we weren't worried at all, even if Korea won."

The atmosphere shifted, however, as kickoff approached.

When the Korean players came onto the pitch about an hour before the match to warm up, they were greeted by loud boos that reached 93 decibels. The jeers grew even louder when Korea's starting lineup appeared on the stadium's giant screen. Throughout the match, Mexican supporters booed almost every time Korea had possession.

The stadium reached its loudest point after Mexico broke the deadlock. In the 50th minute, midfielder Luis Romo of Guadalajara scored the opening goal, triggering an ear-splitting eruption from the home crowd. Five minutes later, when Son Heung-min's scoring opportunity was blocked by a defender, the Mexican fans celebrated as if another goal had been scored.

Still, when Son was substituted later in the match, even many home supporters applauded the Korean captain in recognition of his stature.

After Mexico secured a 1-0 victory, celebrations spilled well beyond the stadium. More than an hour after the final whistle, fans remained inside and around the venue singing and chanting, while cars throughout downtown Guadalajara blared their horns as supporters celebrated Mexico's confirmation as Group A winners.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.