South Korean football fans will once again gather in central Seoul to support the national team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the challenges of early kick-off times.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on June 8 that it will operate a series of public viewing events and interactive fan experiences throughout the tournament in partnership with official sponsor KT and the national team's official supporters' group, the Red Devils.

Street cheering events will be held at Gwanghwamun Square on June 12, June 19 and June 25, coinciding with South Korea's three Group A matches.

To create a World Cup atmosphere in the heart of Seoul, organizers will install a main stage and multiple large viewing screens throughout the square. Live broadcasts of South Korea's matches will be shown on two giant media walls located on the western side of the KT Gwanghwamun Building.

The KFA also emphasized its commitment to providing a safe and well-organized environment for supporters attending the events.

A major attraction of this year's fan festival will be the "Korea National Football Team Pop-Up" experience, hosted at KT Onmaru on the second floor of the KT Gwanghwamun Building West.

Jointly organized by the KFA and KT, the exhibition will feature a Heritage Zone designed to showcase the history of South Korean football. Visitors will be able to view commemorative plaques from all 10 of the nation's FIFA World Cup appearances, historical World Cup jerseys worn by the national team, and a special photo exhibition highlighting key moments from South Korea's World Cup campaigns between 2002 and 2022.

An official merchandise zone will also offer a range of national team products and souvenirs.

Fans will additionally be able to experience KT's latest AI-powered technologies through a series of interactive attractions. These include "AX Robot Drawing," where AI-powered robots create caricatures based on visitors' photographs, and "AX Photo Assist," which uses the Galaxy S26's AI image-generation capabilities to create football-themed supporter images.

Other activities include a digital "Support Message Media Wall," where visitors can submit messages of encouragement that will be displayed on giant screens, and a Red Devils Custom DIY Zone where fans can create their own supporter merchandise.

According to the KFA, messages submitted at the event will be delivered directly to the South Korean squad in Mexico.

"The purpose of this event is to share the excitement of supporting the national team together while also celebrating the history and pride of Korean football through the heritage pop-up exhibition," a KFA official said. "We hope fans will come to Gwanghwamun and show their passionate support for the national team."

Meanwhile, Hong Myung-bo's squad arrived at its World Cup base camp in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 6.

The team held an open training session at Chivas Verde Valle on June 8 as preparations for the tournament intensified. Speaking to reporters before training, Hong highlighted the importance of the team's final training block ahead of the opening match against the Czech Republic.

"We have about four days of training available, and the sessions on the 7th, 8th and 9th are the most important," Hong said. "These sessions will allow us to test combinations that fit our football model as we prepare for the first group-stage match."

South Korea opens its World Cup campaign against the Czech Republic on June 12 in Guadalajara.