Mexican military personnel successfully intercepted and disabled a drone that was detected flying close to the South Korean team’s training facility ahead of their World Cup matchup against Mexico, a federal official disclosed.
Utilizing specialized technology, the military identified the “During our training, there was a drone in the sky that we came to know about the fact,” in the vicinity of the South Korean camp, leading them to take action to “But fortunately, it was right before we practised our tactics, so it did not impact us. But while we were preparing for the match, that was the most important timing, so what happened was unfortunate.” it, according to the Mexican federal agent.
This official requested anonymity as they were not permitted to publicly discuss the event.
In the World Cup’s Group A, co-hosts Mexico triumphed in their opening match last week, while South Korea secured a victory over Czechia on the same day. The intentions behind the drone’s presence remain unclear, raising questions about whether it was attempting to surveil the South Korean team ahead of their Thursday encounter.
Coach’s Reaction
South Korea’s head coach, Hong Myung-bo, described the situation as “unfortunate.”
“During our training, there was a drone in the sky that we came to know about the fact,” Hong stated. “But fortunately, it was right before we practised our tactics, so it did not impact us. But while we were preparing for the match, that was the most important timing, so what happened was unfortunate.”
The Mexican operation is part of a comprehensive security strategy involving military and local police forces for the ongoing 2026 World Cup, which commenced on June 11 in Mexico City and will continue until July 19, co-hosted by the United States and Canada.
The federal agent did not specify when the incident took place or if any arrests were made. It was mentioned, however, that multiple drones have been neutralized in recent days as they attempted to breach security zones around stadiums in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey— the three cities hosting the tournament in Mexico— as well as team base camps and fan festivals.
Security Measures for the Tournament
In March, Mexican authorities unveiled a World Cup security operation known as “Plan Kukulkán,” which involves approximately 100,000 personnel from various military and police agencies. The plan encompasses early warning systems, security protocols at stadiums, airports, roadways, and hotels, along with protective measures for teams, officials, and fans.
In Canada, officials have prohibited unauthorized drones from flying over World Cup stadiums and training locations in Vancouver and Toronto as a part of security precautions. These restrictions will remain effective until July 7, the date of the final match scheduled in the country.
Previous Drone Incidents
In 2024, the Canada women’s national team faced allegations of employing a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session just days before their opening game at the Paris Olympics. This incident sparked a spying scandal that resulted in penalties against Canada.
Consequently, two coaching staff members and head coach Bev Priestman were suspended, with Priestman ultimately dismissed by Canada Soccer. The team, the reigning Olympic champions from the Tokyo Games, suffered a six-point deduction in their group standings for the tournament in France.
Canada Soccer later concluded that the incident was not an isolated mistake but indicative of a broader issue of inadequate oversight within the national teams.
