From empty seats vs. Czech Republic to a sold-out cauldron vs. Mexico — Korea braces for hostile crowd

If South Korea played its opening match against the Czech Republic in front of a half-empty stadium, the second game against Mexico will be an entirely different battlefield.

Coach Hong Myung-bo's South Korea side takes on host nation Mexico in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium on Friday at 10 a.m. Korean Standard Time.

The atmosphere at the first match was muted. FIFA announced an official attendance of 44,985 for the Czech Republic game at Akron Stadium on June 12, but broadcast footage repeatedly showed swaths of empty seats.

British outlet The Sun reported that soaring ticket prices had left some zones less than half sold, adding that a number of Mexican fans in the stands were cheering for Korea and chanting "Korea" during the match.

Fans who learned that tickets for the Czech Republic game had not sold out vented on social media. "This is the first time I've ever seen so many empty seats at a World Cup venue — this tournament might go down as the worst ever," one user wrote. Another said the outcome was inevitable: "When you set prices this absurdly high, this is what happens."

The Mexico match is shaping up to be the polar opposite. With four days to go, only around 200 tickets were said to remain.

Marca Mexico reported Monday that FIFA's official website offers no queue function, leaving resale platforms as the only option — where surging demand has pushed prices to between 22,000 and 98,000 pesos (approximately 1.93 million to 8.62 million won, or about $5,670 at the upper end).

Both teams won their opening matches and sit on three points. Mexico beat South Africa 2-0, while South Korea edged the Czech Republic 2-1. Mexico currently leads Group A on goal difference, with South Korea in second. The winner of Friday's match will in effect secure an early berth in the round of 16.

“故김새론 녹취 버전만 4개”…가세연 김세의, ‘조작된 증거’ 알면서도 김수현 압박

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