It was an unauthorised drone that Mexican military had to deal with near the South Korean camp ahead of Thursday’s Group A tie with the hosts. The whole thing has been a bit of a scare for the 2026 World Cup build-up, with some wondering if it was a case of spying. An investigation is ongoing; as for the operator, they are still a mystery.
What happened near South Korea’s camp
According to those in charge, some top-end military gear picked up a drone making its way too close to the South Koreans’ facility before it was made harmless. It was all part of the usual security protocol for the event.
Word on the ground is that the Mexican military used radio to put the device in the ground. Two men thought to be in control of it were seen to have the wreckage and made off. You won’t find any details from officials on arrests or what the point of the flight was, because there are none to give.
‘Yesterday, during our training, there was a drone in the sky that we came to know about,’ said South Korea’s coach, Hong Myung-bo. ‘Fortunately, it was right before we practised our tactics, so it did not impact us.’ He made it clear the plans for the team haven’t been derailed.
Why it matters for Group A
You can see why the timing is a little delicate. If South Korea can get the better of Mexico in Guadalajara on Thursday, they are all but in the knockout stage and in line to head the group.
They have both come in hot. Mexico put two past South Africa to open, and South Korea showed some grit to turn around and beat Czechia 2-1. When you have to keep your tactics under wraps and hold your momentum, even a small nuisance can be an issue.
Hong put it down as ‘unfortunate’ for what was an important session. He’s looking forward to a hard-fought affair and has nothing but respect for the home side’s ‘creative’ midfield and the crowd they’ll have with them.
Security measures across the World Cup
This is a big operation. With the World Cup running through Mexico, the U.S. and Canada until 19 July, there is a lot of planning in place. In March, Mexico put Plan Kukulkan in motion, with some 100,000 from the military and police on hand.
We’ve been told by officials that they have had to handle a few drones in the last couple of days in and around the stadiums and camps in cities like Mexico City, Monterrey and here in Guadalajara. They’re not saying much more about this one in particular.
Rules for drones in host nations
You can’t fly a drone over any of the venues in Mexico or the United States where World Cup action is being held. Canada has put some temporary holds on unapproved flights in Vancouver and Toronto as well, at least until 7 July.
A reminder from a recent scandal
It brings to mind what went down at the Paris Olympics with Canada’s women’s side. They were in hot water for having staff use a drone to watch New Zealand train. It cost them six points and saw two staff let go, with head coach Bev Priestman eventually shown the door by Canada Soccer.
Team responses and what comes next
The KFA have put in a report to FIFA and want some guarantees it won’t happen again. On the other side of things, the Mexicans have no idea who was flying the aircraft or what they were after.
Here is the run-down:
– Drone put out of commission near the South Korean base
– Some 100,000 under Plan Kukulkan in the field
– A formal report from the KFA to FIFA
– More than one drone has been stopped of late
Now it is back to business for South Korea as they get ready for Thursday. Hong says his lads are used to dealing with a tough environment. The job is to manage the ebb and flow of the match against a host nation that has the form and the fans to back them up.
For the ones running the show, it is a case of how to keep the teams safe and let the city have its fun. With the rules in place and more eyes on the ground, we will see if they can stop any more of these as the group stage gets going.
