South Korea's Coach Booed By Fans In Airport After FIFA WC Disaster | WATCH
South Korea's Coach Booed By Fans In Airport After FIFA WC Disaster | WATCH Published By, Last Updated: June 30, 2026, 11:37 IST Hong Myung-bo
South Korea's Coach Booed By Fans In Airport After FIFA WC Disaster | WATCH Published By, Last Updated: June 30, 2026, 11:37 IST Hong Myung-bo returned to South Korea amid boos and protests after resigning following the team's World Cup group-stage exit, with fans and politicians demanding accountability. Rapid Read South Korea's soccer head coach Hong Myung-bo, center, who has resigned following the team's early elimination from the World Cup, arrives at the Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korea’s miserable FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign followed them all the way home. head coach Hong Myung-bo and several members of the national team were greeted by angry supporters on Tuesday after their early elimination from the tournament. Just over 24 hours after announcing his resignation, Hong landed at Incheon International Airport alongside nine players, including stars Lee Kang-in, Kim Min-jae and Hwang Hee-chan.
Instead of a hero’s welcome, the squad walked into a wave of boos, chants and banners from hundreds of frustrated fans demanding accountability. 🚨 |????????????????????????????????:????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Hong and several players arrived at 4AM hoping to avoid protesters, but a large crowd was waiting. 🤯 Fans banged drums, chanted “Hong Myung-bo out!" & hurled curses/insults at the coach. 🫡🇰🇷 pic.twitter.com/X2XWlEjLGW — Joel Kim (@KNTFootball) June 29, 2026 Fans Vent Their Frustration Supporters gathered outside the airport shouting, “Hong Myung-bo, get out!" while one banner bluntly declared, “Korean Football Is Dead." Police formed a security corridor to escort Hong from the terminal to a waiting vehicle as the former coach ignored questions from the media. The backlash comes after Hong reportedly received an online death threat following South Korea’s disappointing campaign. In another sign of the public mood, the Korea Football Association (KFA) chose not to hold its customary welcome ceremony for the returning squad, marking the first time it has skipped the event after an away World Cup since 2002.
World Cup Campaign Ends In Disappointment The Taegeuk Warriors finished third in Group A with three points after opening their campaign with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic before suffering back-to-back 1-0 defeats against Mexico and South Africa. Although the expanded 48-team World Cup allows the eight best third-placed teams to progress, South Korea ranked only 10th among the 12 third-placed nations and narrowly missed out on the Round of 32. Speaking before leaving Mexico, Hong accepted responsibility for the failure and stepped down as head coach, bringing an end to his second spell in charge. Pressure Mounts On KFA The fallout has extended well beyond the dressing room. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has instructed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to investigate the reasons behind the team’s disappointing World Cup and recommend measures to prevent a repeat. The KFA has also come under renewed scrutiny over its decision to reappoint Hong in July 2024, with critics arguing the hiring process lacked transparency.
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