South Korean cheering squad overshadowed in Mexico loss; team aims to paint LA red if advancing as second place

The South Korean national football team suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat against host nation Mexico in their second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, held at the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara. This loss places South Korea in second place in Group A with three points from one win and one loss, trailing Mexico who leads with six points.

Despite the setback, South Korea's path to the next round remains viable. With the Czech Republic and South Africa both holding one point, a draw in their final group stage match against South Africa would be sufficient for South Korea to secure the second spot in the group and advance.

The atmosphere at the stadium was overwhelmingly in favor of Mexico. The home crowd's fervent cheers, reaching up to 149 decibels, often drowned out the support from the "Red Devils," South Korea's official fan group. Chants of "Ay, ay, ay, ay, canta y no llores" (Sing and don't cry) from the Mexican supporters seemed to echo the team's dominant performance.

However, a potential silver lining for the Korean team lies in the location of their likely Round of 16 match. If they advance as group runners-up, they would play in Los Angeles, California, an area with a significant Korean diaspora, potentially offering a more supportive environment compared to the hostile atmosphere they faced against Mexico.