When FIFA awarded Monterrey hosting duties for the 2026 World Cup, South Korea’s national team probably didn’t expect to find a home crowd waiting for them in northeastern Mexico. But that’s exactly what happened on June 24 when the Taegeuk Warriors took the pitch at Estadio BBVA to face South Africa in a decisive Group A finale.
The reason is straightforward: Monterrey is home to one of the largest Korean communities in Latin America, and they showed up in force. For a squad that had already logged a grueling match against the Czech Republic in Guadalajara earlier in the group stage, the familiar chants and sea of red felt less like a pleasant surprise and more like a tactical advantage.
A final group game with everything on the line
Group A features Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and the Czech Republic. Kickoff was set for 7:00 p.m. local time, and the early exchanges reflected the tension. The score sat at 0-0 shortly after the opening whistle, with neither team willing to take unnecessary risks in what amounted to a do-or-die scenario.
For South Korea, the path to this moment ran through Guadalajara, where they faced the Czech Republic in their prior group match. For South Africa, the prospect of facing an opponent with what amounted to home-field advantage in a neutral country added another layer of difficulty.
