Mexico and Korea soccer fans will have several chances to cheer shoulder to shoulder on Thursday at official World Cup watch parties across Los Angeles.
More than a thousand fans gathered at Seoul International Park several hours before kickoff.
The pre-game festivities included scores of games, food stands, T-shirt booths and vendors selling cheering gear. The early afternoon crowd sported green Mexico jerseys, with a smattering of fans in red Korea jerseys.
Johnny Yoon, 68, who has lived in Koreatown for 40 years, laughed and remarked, “The Korean community set the stage, but the Mexican fans are having even more fun with it.”
The watch party featured a variety of activities, including a mechanical bull-riding station, mini soccer games and carnival-style games where attendees could win stuffed animals.
Ricard Gutierrez, from Wilmington, sported a green Mexico jersey, but felt a sense of camaraderie in the air at the pre-game festival.
“We’re against each other, but we’re also here for each other,” Gutierrez said while sporting the flags of both teams painted on his face.
The game’s kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. but the all-day fan festival started at 10 a.m.
Festivities at the park will end at 10 p.m. Thursday with road closures of Normandie Avenue between Olympic Boulevard and San Marino Street. Those will remain in effect until 2 p.m. on Friday.
Both Mexico and Korea won their World Cup opening matches in 2026. The two teams and their fans have a long-standing bond that in many ways go beyond the soccer field.
In 2018, when South Korea defeated Germany 2-0 in the final match of the group stage, the upset helped send Mexico into the knockout rounds. Mexican fans responded by flooding social media with messages of gratitude, gathering outside the South Korean embassy and chanting, “Coreano, hermano, ya eres mexicano” — “Korean brother, you are already Mexican.”
Organizers encourage attendees to take public transit to the park. A free shuttle service will also run between the festival and a parking lot located at 3550 Wilshire Blvd.
Service runs from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Shuttles arrive approximately every 20 minutes.
Pick-up location is near 3600 Wilshire Blvd. by Bulgogi Hut.
Parking will be available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and $19 for all-day parking and $8 after 5 p.m.
