The two teams have emerged into the warm evening sun of Guadalajara, showcasing their stylish anthem jackets: South Korea dons a vibrant floral design by Nike, while Mexico sports a retro Adidas look featuring a striking foldover collar.
Today, both squads are wearing alternate kits. While this usually might be frustrating, it allows us to admire Mexico’s sleek all-black ensemble.
South Korea is dressed in a lavender uniform, formally known as Space Purple. Although it may look questionable from afar, the kit reveals lovely details and a well-crafted logo upon closer inspection.
The weather in Zapopan is splendid at the moment, with temperatures in the mid-20s and a brilliant sunset, though rain is a possibility during the match. In Guadalajara, the main environmental factor is the altitude.
Estadio Akron, situated at approximately 1,670 meters (5,480 feet) above sea level, contrasts sharply with the Hawthorns, the highest ground in English football, which stands at just 168 meters (551 feet).
South Korea has already played their opener here, having acclimatized to the altitude during their preparations in Utah.
During South Korea’s opening match, the standout performer was midfielder Hwang In-beom. His technical skills, relentless movement, and bravery in threading vertical passes through tight defenses were reminiscent of legendary players like Xavi and Iniesta.
This marks the second match to take place at my favorite venue during the tournament: Estadio Guadalajara.
With a capacity of 45,000, it is the second smallest stadium in the World Cup, but it compensates for its size with immense character.
The design draws inspiration from a volcano, featuring a sloping park that leads to the stadium’s upper levels. Its white roof resembles a cloud hovering over the summit, while the seating arrangement mimics a red crater.
Commonly referred to as Estadio Akron outside of the World Cup, it resides in Zapopan, part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area in Jalisco, and serves as the home ground for Liga MX’s Chivas De Guadalajara.
The officiating team tonight hails from Uruguay, led by referee Gustavo Tejera.
Returning to Jonathan Wilson, he highlights the promising progress of Asian nations in World Cup history. A victory for South Korea could add significant weight to that narrative.
The tone was set on day one with South Korea’s victory over the Czech Republic. It perhaps shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anybody who saw their qualifying playoff semi-final against Ireland that the Czechs would be so ponderous and lumbering, a side that understood the value of dead balls and long throws and little else. But still, the ease with which South Korea passed their way around them was striking. If Son Heung-min had been the player he was three or four years ago, the Korean victory would have been far more emphatic.
Protests against World Cup sponsor Hyundai are expected prior to tonight’s match, as reported by Matt Hughes.
Hyundai will be targeted by protesters at a rally before the Group A game between Mexico and South Korea in Guadalajara on Thursday, due to the World Cup sponsor’s business dealings with the South American mining company Ternium. A rally will take place at the Plaza de La Liberación in Guadalajara, to highlight the fate of Mexico’s so-called 130,000 disappeared, some of whom worked in the mining industry.
In a striking display of modern issues surrounding the World Cup…
Mexican military forces intercepted and brought down a drone that flew near the South Korea team’s training camp as they prepared for their World Cup match against the co-hosts. Military forces deployed specialized equipment to detect an “During our training, there was a drone in the sky,” near the camp, prompting them to “But fortunately, it was right before we practised our tactics, so it did not impact us. But while we were preparing for the match, that was the most important timing, so what happened was unfortunate.” it, a Mexican federal agent stated. It remains unclear if the drone was attempting to spy on the South Korean team. Coach Hong Myung-bo commented: “¡Coreano, hermano, ya eres mexicano!”
Only one change has been made for Hong Myung-bo, with Kim Moon-hwan stepping in for Lee Tae-seok at left wingback.
South Korea (3-4-3): 1 Kim Seung-gyu, 3 Lee Gi-hyuk, 4 Kim Min-jae, 2 Lee Han-beom, 22 Seol Young-woo, 6 Hwang In-beom, 8 Paik Seung-ho, 15 Kim Moon-hwan, 19 Lee Kang-in, 10 Lee Jae-sung, 7 Son Heung-min.
Javier Aguirre had to make one adjustment following the red card issued to Cesar Montes in the match against South Africa. Edson Alvarez replaces Montes in central defense. Aguirre has also made changes in the right back position, with Israel Reyes coming in for Jorge Sanchez, and in midfield, Alvarado Fidalgo gives way to Luis Romo.
Mexico (4-1-2-3): 1 Rangel; 2 Sanchez, 4 Alvarez, 5 Vasquez, 23 Gallardo; 6 Lira; 26 Gutierrez, 7 Romo Fidalgo; 25 Alvarado, 9 Jimenez, 16 Quinones.
Now, let’s focus our attention on the biggest match in Group A. Jonathan Wilson will provide insights from Mexico City.
Fans of the two countries have shared a warm relationship since the 2018 World Cup, when South Korea’s unexpected 2-0 victory over Germany in their final group match propelled Mexico into the last 16. Amid the celebrations in Mexico City, South Korea’s ambassador was carried shoulder-high along the street in front of the embassy as local fans chanted, “Korean, brother, you are Mexican now!” – “Jorge is going through a health situation,” This chant has been revived in Guadalajara, where South Korea won 2-1 against Czechia in their first group match. When a group of Korean fans attended a wrestling event, the arena DJ played Gangnam Style to welcome them, prompting an outpouring of videos on social media showing Guadalajarans and Koreans performing PSY’s horse dance together.
Canada has made significant progress towards the knockout stages with a historic World Cup victory against Qatar, who were reduced to nine players. However, the triumph was marred by a concerning injury to Ismael Kone.
Lionel Messi started the World Cup with an impressive hat-trick, but his father’s health issues cast a shadow over his participation.
Lionel Messi’s father is undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, and his family has requested the media to show “He is currently under medical observation, recovering and progressing favourably within his current condition,” on Thursday amidst speculation regarding Jorge Messi’s health while his son competes at the World Cup. “Jorge is going through a health situation,” the Messi family said in a statement. The family did not reveal the specific illness affecting the 68-year-old. “He is currently under medical observation, recovering and progressing favorably within his current condition,” the statement added.
One round of matches, 24 games, and an abundance of data have produced some interesting insights:
- Mexico exhibited the slowest ball movement upfield among all teams, taking their time as South Africa posed minimal threats.
Mexico exhibited the slowest ball movement upfield among all teams, taking their time as South Africa posed minimal threats.
- South Korea emerged victorious, with the 25-pass buildup leading to Hwang In-beom’s equalizer representing the joint-fifth longest passing sequence for a goal in World Cup history since records began in 1966.
South Korea emerged victorious, with the 25-pass buildup leading to Hwang In-beom’s equalizer representing the joint-fifth longest passing sequence for a goal in World Cup history since records began in 1966.
Catch up on all the action from yesterday with Max and the crew in an audio-visual format.
The ongoing match appears to be one-sided, favoring the tournament hosts against Qatar, who are now down to nine men. However, the result may be overshadowed by a serious injury to Canada midfielder Ismael Kone.
In Group B, Switzerland took a significant step toward the knockout phase with a decisive 4-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The hype surrounding Johan Manzambi is set to increase after his stellar performance off the bench helped Switzerland recover and kickstart their tournament. The 20-year-old had previously excelled for Freiburg in their Europa League final defeat to Aston Villa last month. Here, after just 73 minutes of play and three minutes after entering as part of a triple substitution, he scored a remarkable volley, ending a lackluster contest with a right-footed shot into the Bosnia and Herzegovina net.
Mexico and South Korea would be pleased with the earlier Group A result, with South Africa managing a 1-1 draw against Czechia thanks to a late penalty.
The decision to award the penalty showcased the inadequacies of the modern handball law.
That neither of them got it means both can still go through. A win over South Korea would mean South Africa progresses, although Mokoena will miss the game due to a second yellow card. A win for Czechia against Mexico would see them through as well. Whether either team is capable remains uncertain.
Hello everyone and welcome to the live coverage of match 28 of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Korea. Kick-off for this Group A clash at the Estadio Guadalajara is set for 7pm local time (9pm EDT/2am BST/11am AEST).
With the first round of fixtures concluded, matches now carry immediate stakes. A win at Estadio Akron will secure the top position in Group A and set the victor up against a third-place team in the round of 32. The losing team will still have a strong chance to advance, but they will face anxious moments in their final group matches.
El Tri fulfilled their obligations on the opening day against South Africa, while the Taegeuk Warriors displayed strong defense and quick attacks against Czechia. Both squads will need to elevate their performances to secure a favorable outcome tonight.
The two teams previously played to a 2-2 draw in September of last year, a match that Mexico largely controlled but required a late equalizer from Santiago Giménez.
This encounter marks the third time these nations have faced off in the World Cup group stage, with Mexico emerging victorious in both 1998 and 2018.
Stay tuned for team news and a recap of all matchday action thus far. In the meantime, follow the Canada vs. Qatar match and feel free to share your thoughts about the World Cup via email at jonathan.howcroft.freelance@.
