South Korea will be backed by the 'bulkeun agmar' or Red Devils, the national team's official supporters group, in their thousands, whether that be in Gwanghwamun or Guadalajara. Expectations may be tempered somewhat heading into the 2026 World Cup, but Cho Ho-tae, the president of the Red Devils, believes that the World Cup still has the power to unite, even with the heights of the 2002 team now little more than nostalgic memories.
(Photo by Mohamed Farag/Getty Images)
Even with qualification secured for an 11th consecutive World Cup, every one since 1986 in Mexico, enthusiasm for the national team has seen a drop-off. Attendances for home friendlies reflected a disenchantment.
Against Paraguay in October 2025 at Seoul World Cup Stadium, an arena that holds over 60,000 and is used to seeing sellouts for national team games, there were just 22,206 fans.
Even when matches were moved away from the capital to areas of the country where there aren't too many national team matches, there were no sellouts. In Daejeon for a friendly with Bolivia, there were 33,000 in attendance, with around 7,000 empty seats.
(Photo by Mohamed Farag/Getty Images)
Even with qualification secured for an 11th consecutive World Cup, every one since 1986 in Mexico, enthusiasm for the national team has seen a drop-off. Attendances for home friendlies reflected a disenchantment.
Against Paraguay in October 2025 at Seoul World Cup Stadium, an arena that holds over 60,000 and is used to seeing sellouts for national team games, there were just 22,206 fans.
Even when matches were moved away from the capital to areas of the country where there aren't too many national team matches, there were no sellouts. In Daejeon for a friendly with Bolivia, there were 33,000 in attendance, with around 7,000 empty seats.
4 months ago
