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The Mexican military intercepted a drone flying over the South Korean soccer team’s training camp ahead of its World Cup match against Mexico on Wednesday.
South Korea and Mexico have a 1-0 record and will face each other for the lead in Group A.
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South Korea midfielder Hwang In-beom celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group A match against the Czech Republic at the Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan on June 11, 2026. (Ulises Ruiz/AFP)
Mexican forces used specialized equipment to detect an “unregistered drone” near the South Korean camp, prompting them to “neutralize” it, a Mexican federal agent told The Associated Press. It was unclear whether the drone was attempting to spy on the South Korean team ahead of Thursday’s match between the teams.
South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo called the incident “unfortunate.”
“Yesterday (Tuesday), during our training, there was a drone in the sky which we learned about,” Hong said through a translator. “But fortunately, it was just before we practiced our tactics, so it didn’t affect us. But while we were preparing for the match, that was the most important time, so what happened was unfortunate.”
The Mexican operation was part of a security plan involving local military and police forces for the soccer tournament, which began last week in Mexico City and will be co-hosted by the United States and Canada until July 19.
In March, Mexican authorities announced a World Cup security operation known as “Plan Kukulkan,” involving around 100,000 federal and local military and police forces. The plan includes early warning systems, security measures in stadiums, airports, roads and hotels, and protection protocols for teams, officials and fans.
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South Korea’s players participate in a training session at Chivas Verde Valle in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 15, 2026, during the 2026 World Cup soccer tournament. (Ulises Ruiz/AFP)
In Canada, authorities have banned unauthorized drones from flying over World Cup stadiums and several training sites in Vancouver and Toronto as a security measure. The restrictions remain in force until July 7, the date of the last scheduled match in the country.
In 2024, the Canadian women’s team was accused of using a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session in the days before its opening match at the Paris Olympics, triggering a spy scandal that led to sanctions against Canada.
The scandal led to the suspension of two members of the coaching staff and head coach Bev Priestman, who was subsequently fired by Canada Soccer. The Canadian women’s team, current Olympic champion of the Tokyo Games, was deducted six points from its group classification in France.
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Canada Soccer later determined that the incident was not an isolated mistake but part of a pattern of insufficient oversight within national teams.
Mexico won its first Group A match at the World Cup on Thursday, while South Korea beat the Czech Republic earlier in the day.
