Korean Fans Show Anger Towards Coach Hong After World Cup Exit

South Korea's head coach Hong Myung-bo has announced his resignation after the team was knocked out in the group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026. He arrived at Seoul-Incheon International Airport in Incheon on June 30, 2026. Photo: JADE GAO / AFP

Fans of South Korean football were upset with the team's early exit from the World Cup. They greeted the returning squad on Tuesday with a clear message for coach Hong: his time was done. Hong, who played as a defender for the national team, stepped down on Sunday after South Korea finished the group stage with just one win and two losses. Hopes were high for a strong performance led by captain Son Heung-min, but the team could not deliver.

South Korea failed to make it to the knockout stage, missing out as one of the eight best third-placed teams in the tournament. They looked set to advance until a surprising 1-0 loss to lower-ranked South Africa in their last group match ended their chances.

Hong walked out of the arrival gate at Incheon International Airport while facing intense media attention but did not respond to questions. Fans booed and shouted “Hong out!” as he left the airport. In contrast, they applauded the players who followed him.

“Thanks for all your hard work!” one fan shouted as the players came out. This was a stark contrast to the jeers directed at Hong. Police had cordoned off the route from inside the terminal to the waiting bus outside. Several dozen protesters gathered nearby with signs.

“South Korean football is dead,” read one banner held by fans who had waited for hours at the airport. The crowd chanted, “Hong, you must quit,” while beating drums to make their protest louder.

Hong's admission after the match that he did not understand what had gone wrong did little to calm the criticism. His resignation on Sunday did not satisfy Kim Gi-mo, who was at the airport to express his anger.

“I question whether his resignation was sincere, given his attitude when he made the announcement,” Kim told AFP. “He ruined this festival that only comes once every four years. I came here to see the person responsible for that.”

Questions had already been raised about the Korea Football Association’s decision in 2024 to appoint Hong. Critics said the selection process was not clear even before the World Cup campaign fell apart. The KFA did not hold an official welcome ceremony for the returning players.

This was not the first time Hong faced a tough reception. Back in 2014, angry fans threw Korean sweets at the team when they returned from Brazil, where they were also eliminated in the group stage during his first time as national coach.

South Korean media had called the 2026 squad a “golden generation,” filled with well-known players like former Tottenham Hotspur captain Son, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in. Expectations were high, with many fans hoping the team would reach the Round of 16, especially since this was expected to be Son's last World Cup.

The captain will turn 34 next month. But many supporters were confused and angry when Hong decided to bench Son in the first half of the crucial match against South Africa. “I was very shocked that he benched Son against South Africa,” said Song Min-kyung, a 20-year-old university student, at the airport. “I think that was the beginning of everything that went wrong at this World Cup.”