Tag: World Cup

BTS Performs During the 2026 World Cup Halftime Show

I wonder if this style of halftime show will become a continuing trend for future World Cups or just be a one off American thing?:

K-pop supergroup BTS performed in the first-ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final on Sunday (U.S. time), sharing the stage with other global pop stars, including Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber.

The group appeared as the second performer during the halftime of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, marking a milestone moment that blended sport and music on one of the world’s biggest stages.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Korean-American Businesses in Los Angeles Put Up Signs Banning Former South Korean Soccer Coach

People really need to chill with the hate for Hong Myung-bo because it is getting pretty ridiculous:

Koreans in Los Angeles had hoped to watch Korea play there during the World Cup knockout stage. Instead, they are reacting to the arrival of former coach Hong Myung-bo, whose handling of the national team’s World Cup campaign has made him one of the country’s most criticized sports figures. 

Hong arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday, just days after stepping down following Korea’s disappointing World Cup exit. His departure came as lawmakers prepared to question football officials over the Korea Football Association’s (KFA) handling of the national team amid growing calls for accountability over its performance.

The frustration was evident not only in online posts but also on storefronts across Los Angeles’ Korean community.

Photos shared on Threads and Instagram showed restaurants, cafes and grocery stores posting signs barring Hong from entering. One proposal gained traction on the Korean American online forum MissyUSA, where a user suggested local business owners join in.

“In Korea, he probably thinks he can walk away and people will eventually forget,” the user wrote. “There are plenty of Korean-owned businesses here. Let’s all put up ‘Hong Myung-bo, Get Out’ signs.”

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but fortunately for Hong there are many other establishments he can go to in LA that don’t care who he is. This is all performative theater for social media clicks.

National Soccer Team Booed as it Returns to Korea After Being Bounced from the World Cup

You have to be one committed soccer fan with nothing better to do to have the time to travel to Incheon Airport early in the morning just to go boo the national soccer team:

Former head coach Hong Myung-bo and a few of his players for the South Korean men’s national football team were met with boos from angry people as they returned home Tuesday from a short stay at the FIFA World Cup.

Hong and nine of his 26 players landed at Incheon International Airport, just west of Seoul, in the wee hours of Tuesday, a little over 24 hours after Hong announced his resignation from the post to take responsibility for South Korea’s exit from the World Cup after the group stage.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Tweet of the Day: Japan Destroys Tunisia 4-0 at World Cup

North Korea Caught Illegally Airing Coverage from the 2026 World Cup

None of this should be a surprise to anyone:

This footage from the Korean Central Television aired on June 15, 2026, shows advertising boards for South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. shown during the state-run North Korean outlet's coverage of the FIFA World Cup. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

This footage from the Korean Central Television aired on June 15, 2026, shows advertising boards for South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. shown during the state-run North Korean outlet’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

North Korea’s state media excluded games involving South Korea, the United States and Japan from its apparently unauthorized coverage of the ongoing FIFA World Cup matches.

The North’s state-run Korean Central Television aired four- to six-minute broadcasts on the results of the World Cup group-stage matches at the end of its daily evening newscasts from Monday through Thursday but excluded the results of games involving the three countries.

The North, however, aired footage that showed pitch-side advertising boards for South Korean and U.S. companies, such as Hyundai Motor Co., The Coca-Cola Company and McDonald’s.

In the past, the North often blurred images related to South Korea and the U.S. in broadcasts of major sports events, such as advertising boards of companies from the two countries and the South Korean national flag.

The North Korean broadcaster included major scenes from the World Cup matches in its coverage, raising suspicions the North aired them without authorization.

North Korean state media outlets are not among the media rights licensees authorized by FIFA to broadcast the World Cup games.

The North appears to have been excluded from the broadcasting rights for the ongoing World Cup after it aired matches from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without authorization.

The outlet has ceased broadcasting scenes from the ongoing World Cup since Friday.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Picture of the Day: South Korea Ready for World Cup Game in Mexico

Ahead of World Cup
Ahead of World Cup
People take a photo in front of a structure symbolizing South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 7, 2026. South Korea are scheduled to play two of their three Group A matches in Guadalajara, a city about 1,500 meters above sea level. (Yonhap)

Tweet of the Day: The Greatest World Cup Upset in History

Tweet of the Day: South Korea to Host Asia’s 1st Homeless World Cup

Picture of the Day: South Korea Eliminated from World Cup After Big Loss to Brazil

South Korean captain Son Heung-min (C) walks off the field after going down 4-0 against Brazil in the countries’ round of 16 match at the FIFA World Cup at Stadium 974 in Doha on Dec. 5, 2022. (Yonhap)

South Korea Loses to Ghana 3-2 in World Cup Action

South Korea’s World Cup team is in a tough spot after losing to Ghana:

Korea’s Kim Young-gwon during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Korea and Ghana, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Nov. 28. AP-Yonhap

Korea’s World Cup hopes are hanging by a slender thread after a 3-2 defeat against Ghana in Qatar on Monday. With just one point from the first two games in Group H, Paulo Bento’s men are going to need a convincing win over Portugal on Friday and hope that other results are favorable.

While the game had excitement for the neutral, there was, ultimately, disappointment for the Taeguk Warriors who will be left to regret defensive mistakes and missed chances. Ghana took a two goal lead in the first half, but the Taeguk Warriors came roaring back with two goals in the space of three second half minutes from Cho Gue-sung who became the first Korean to score more than once in a World Cup game. More defensive issues helped the Africans retake the lead and, this time, they held onto it despite plenty of pressure from the Reds.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.