'Time to cheer': Red Devils gather in Gwanghwamun for Korea's World Cup opener

What's a game without loud cheers and erupting excitement? Hundreds of fans of Korea's national football team, dubbed the Red Devils, gathered in Gwanghwamun Square on Friday morning to cheer on the Taeguk Warriors for their opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 against the Czech Republic.

People wearing national team jerseys and red shirts arrived at street cheering venues hours before the start of the game, eagerly awaiting Korea's first World Cup match in four years.

At around 8:30 a.m., about 300 supporters had already gathered at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul. Fans had started arriving overnight and early in the morning, with crowds steadily building ahead of the match.

Lee Seung-jun was among the crowd, wearing a red wig, mask, T-shirt and gloves in full supporter gear. Lee said he came out in person because winning the opening match is crucial in a World Cup.

“I'll cheer as if we can go all the way and win the World Cup,” Lee said. “I'm expecting a 3-0 victory with a hat trick from Son Heung-min.”

Yang Jeong-gyu traveled all the way from Suwon, Gyeonggi, before dawn to join the crowd.

“Korea is one team, so I came out with the mindset that I'm playing alongside the players,” Yang said.

He added that a victory in the opening match would likely draw even more people to street cheering events for the second and third group-stage matches.

“I'll cheer as hard as I can so our support reaches all the way to Mexico,” Yang said.

Supporters shared their own predictions and hopes while waiting for kickoff, with some forecasting a 2-0 victory and others expecting goals from Son and Lee Dong-gyeong. With strong sunshine from the early morning hours, the mood remained upbeat.

Large screens were also set up in Yeouido, western Seoul, where office workers and football fans alike gathered for street cheering events.

Yoo Won even flew in from Gimhae, South Gyeongsang, specifically to join the celebrations.

“The Czech Republic is a strong team, but I think Korea will win,” Yoo said.

Because many World Cup matches are being played during working hours, enthusiasm has also spread online.

Posts seeking fellow supporters have proliferated on the neighborhood marketplace platform Karrot, with users looking for watch parties and local pubs showing the matches.

KakaoTalk has also launched an online cheering campaign for the national team. Participants in dedicated chat rooms can take part in football quizzes and enter prize drawings for national team jerseys and gift certificates.

Korea's opening match against the Czech Republic is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, or 11 a.m. Friday Korea Standard Time.

“We plan to coordinate chants with supporters in Mexico so that fans here can cheer in sync with the national team there,” said Cho Ho-tae, head of the Red Devils supporters group, in a phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo. The Red Devils are Korea's largest supporters group for the national football team.

“Now is the time to cheer. I hope people across the country will give strength to our players on the field.”

Stuck at work or school when Korea kicks off? We've got you covered. The Korea JoongAng Daily is live-blogging every Korea match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, around the clock. Don't miss a moment.

BY IM SOUNG-BIN, KWAK JOO-YOUNG, LEE GYU-RIM, BYUN MIN-CHUL [[email protected]]